Jamaica launched Int’l Tourney!
“Chess Masters ace off in International Tourney,” Jamaica Observer, Saturday, March 14, 2009.
The Magnificent Chess Foundation and the University of the West Indies (UWI) Chess Society will stage the Magnificent Chess UWI Masters Tournament from March 16 to 22.
The tournament, which will be rated by the game’s international governing body FIDE, will take place at the Medallion Hall Hotel, Hope Road, on March 16 and 17 and at the UWI Assembly Hall from March 19 to 22.
A number of international chess masters from several countries will challenge Jamaica’s three top internationally rated players in the Masters Tournament. The three Jamaicans include Fide Master (FM) Warren Elliott (Jamaica’s highest internationally-rated player), Fide Master Jomo Pitterson (Jamaica’s top performer over the past two years and Jamaica’s unbeaten star of the 2008 Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany) and National Master Shane Matthews, Jamaica’s record seven-time national champion.
These Jamaicans are pursuing an “International Chess Master” title which would be a first for Jamaica.
The Jamaicans will face their toughest competition in Jamaica to date, as several players of note have been invited from countries such as Barbados, Cuba and Sweden to participate in the event.
One of the invitees is International Chess Grandmaster (GM) Alfonso Romero Holmes, one of Spain’s top GMs, who has played against many of the world’s top players and who performed excellently for Spain at the 2002 Chess Olympiad in Bled, Slovenia, dispatching many grandmasters to win a medal on board three.
The other international players slated to participate are GM Roman Hernandez Onna (Cuba), GM-elect Amon Simutowe (Zambia), IM Jose Vilela (Cuba), IM Oladapo Adu (Nigeria), FM Delise Warner (Barbados) FM Bengt Hammar (Sweden).
In addition to the Masters event, there will be an Open tournament for players of all levels and tournaments for beginners and intermediate players at the Assembly Hall of the UWI. These events are part of the historic “Magnificent Chess Week” that featured a public chess extravaganza at the Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre yesterday.
Jamaica Observer: https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sports/html/20090313T210000-0500_147513_OBS_CHESS_MASTERS_FACE_OFF_IN_INT_L_TOURNEY.asp
Sounds interesting. Good tournament. Will games be posted on the drum or another site?
I agree. We can learn from the brothers in Jamaica. They have organized a tournament for their masters to take the next step. Although, the Wilbert Paige tournament was forward thinking for our masters, we need to organize a tournament now for IMs and GMs norms. I think the reason that there are not more Black IM or GM is because we are not invited to these close tournaments.
Yes, Indeed Daaim, I certainly know what you are talking about personally. To organize any tournament is not easy at all not to even talk about an IM/GM invitational event. You are right, it is very hard to find people who are willing to put the necessary time and commitment that it takes to do anything concrete in terms of tournament organization, but what we have plenty of are a bunch of talkers and criticizers who will not be around when the real work is been done, but will have plenty to criticize when the work is completed. Some time you evaluate all the effort and the time and even personal finances that you put into helping to organize things and then you ask yourself it is worth it at all. At some point, I may end up moving away from all this and concentrate on something else.
How could he take 13…Bxc3?! this move look bad even as a blitz game. Keep to the basic, development. Maybe just 13….Nc6. I think Black is alright in these loose positions.
Daaim,
what are you talking about?? Chess is dead in the Black community?? Maybe where you live. Please, before making such comments do a little research, like check who have been playing and not playing.
Hi Daaim
Thanks for putting on some of the games. Keep up the work as I try to get some more information on what’s happening in Jamaica.
Great coverage Daaim !
On second look, maybe 13….Bxc3 is not bad after all. The final position is interesting, its difficult to determine who is better. Maybe I would rather play Black, maybe not. Very hard to say. One thing I know that it was too soon to call for peace for Black or White.
Hi Daaim,
I do agree with you. What we need is measurable, purposeful progress. We need to see more (and new)organisers, TDs and donors AND new players from the inner cities. We should not be content with just turning up to play a weekend Swiss or Blitz and then go home. Those who have access or contacts to places to play, that can be rented at, or below market value, as well as those of us who can use our travel miles and hotel points to support ambitious players in their quests for norms should come out and let the rest of us know about their willingness to share these resources.
I put up some shots I took of this event here
https://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=112634&id=528321141&l=956fb3b6ce
Great work on your coverage, Sir.
(Agree with your comment at #10.)
Hope this is the start of something; and/or that with this tournament, that things can crystallise around events such as this one. Then, folk in the Diaspora can see progress.
Perhaps it may become easier to attract rated players to the West Indies (the ambience) moreso as it becomes difficult for our players to travel out to gain experience/rating, etc
Best wishes to Shane Matthews and the other players.
Great coverage once again.
Please post the final cross table. thanks.
Great job Ian and the Magnificent organization. Why not travel to Jamacia to play? The weather is nice and the cost is no more than any other tournament that we fly to in the states. I don’t see hotel as a factor, because the average hotel in the States are about $100.00 per night at tournament sites. Looking forward to a FIDE event from Ian and company. Were there any norms made? I don’t see IM Adu name on the crosstable, did he play?
Hi All
I am now catching up with the news on the chess after being out of it for a while. Congratulations to Ian and his team for adding this high level event to the Caribbean chess activities. Sorry the IM norms were not possible this year. Just focus on building the tournament so it can become a permanent fixture on the regional chess calendar and the norms will come in the future.
Looking out for the final round results and report
Thanks for posting the article, Dr. Shabbaz, I didnt know Mr. Wilkinson had sent out a report though.
Excellent report Daaim… I saw the coverage at http://www.chessbase.com It’s also on the front page of http://www.fide.com … this world wide coverage is great for Jamaican chess and the black diaspora on a whole… Keep up the great work!