BARBADIAN Leigh Sandiford captured silver to win the island’s only medal at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Youth Chess Festival on Wednesday.
Sandiford defeated Yu Zhicheng of Suriname to win his eighth game in nine matches and finish level on points with Jamaican David Thomas and Colombian Ramirez Lopez in the Under-10 division when the Festival climaxed at the Cascadia Hotel in Trinidad.
The top prize, however, went to the Jamaican on the tie breaker.
Orlando Husbands, who was vying for a silver medal ahead of the final round, lost to Mauro Ampie of Nicaragua and finished in seventh on five-on-a-half points – one-and-a-half points behind winner, Cuban Abel Gonzales.
Barbados’ other medal hopeful at the start of the day, Jaydn Gill, also missed out on a podium finish, slipping from third place to fifth after losing his game against Jamaican Kishan Clarke in the Under-8 section.
Jamaica emerged champions ahead of Colombia and hosts Trinidad and Tobago.
The CAC Youth Chess Festival attracted around 180 competitors from 15 countries. (HG)
Please see more in Thursday’s DAILY NATION