THE WINNING STREAK by Barbados’ two top players at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Youth Chess Festival is over.
After three successive victories on the first two days, Orlando Husbands and Leigh Sandiford both dropped points for the first time in the tournament in Trinidad on Sunday.
Husbands had to settle for two draws in the Under-18 division – the first in the morning against Cuban Jorge Gomez Sanchez, the highest rated player in the Festival and the other against Calvin Tjong Tjin Joe of Suriname.
With Sanchez winning his evening game, the Cuban moved to the top of the table on four points, a half-point ahead of Husbands, Tjong Tjin Joe and Mark Bueno of Aruba.
Sandiford completed his fourth successive victory in the morning with a win in a top-of-the-table clash against Jamaican David Thomas in the Under-10 section but was unable to conquer Columbian Ramirez Lopez, a Candidate Master who is far and away the highest rated player in the division.
There was also a tight race in this division with Sandiford, Lopez, Thomas and Mikhail Bond of Jamaica all on four points.
It was a relatively disappointing day for Barbados who recorded ten wins, 15 defeats and seven draws following their 14 victories on Saturday.
Jakeel Harewood registered two victories in the Under-18 division where teammates Bryan Prescod and Allon Richards each had a draw and a loss.
There were also two wins for Yeshua Hill (Under-10) and Jaydn Gill (Under-8) but it was a struggle for the Under-16s despite a victory by Niccolo Walrond.
Among the Under-14s, Kyle Sandiford scored a win and suffered a loss to occupy eighth place on three points but still within striking distance of the leader who has four-and-a-half points.
Barbados’ other success came through Jerem Gittens in the Under-10 division.
Queen’s College students Azari Gittens and Aaron Haynes, who started the day with two wins from three matches, lost both of their games to slip down the field in the Under-12 section.
The CAC Youth Chess Festival, which has attracted more than 180 competitors from 15 countries, moves into the sixth round of games on Monday. (HG)