Cave eyes India Assurance title

CHRISTO CAVE is within touching distance of re-capturing the national chess title as the New India Assurance National Cham-pionship draws to a close.

Cave, who won his 11th national crown in 2001 when he had a clean sweep of victories in the round-robin tournament, can claim his 12th in 14 years, and the Prime Minister Challenge Trophy, if he can draw at least one of his two remaining matches this weekend. At the Conference room of the Student Activity Centre, on the UWI, St Augustine Campus, Cave knocked off Kirby Hope and Jerome Joseph last weekend.

Defending champ, FIDE Master Ryan Harper, whipped Joffery Marcelle and FIDE Master Frank Yee to remain in contention. Arlene Blackman, principal of the Blackman’s Private Primary School, was upset by Camille Chung on Saturday. But Blackman rebounded to defeat Sinead Furlong the following day. Furlong is joined at the top of the women’s division by Aditi Soondarsingh, who defeated Ramya Chintapatty and drew against Furlong over the weekend. And reigning champ Cesar Ramos and Newsday’s Editorial Consultant Carl Jacobs are in a neck-and-neck tussle in the men’s veterans category.

National Championship Results -
Round 8 (Saturday) —- C Cave def K Hope; R Harper def M Marcelle; F Yee draw with R Singh; A Bowles draw L Duncan; C Lee draw with M Merritt; J Raphael draw with J Joseph.
Round 9 (Sunday) —- C Cave def J Joseph; R Harper def F Yee; C Lee draw with L Duncan; J Raphael draw with M Merritt; R Singh draw with A Bowles; K.Hope draw with J Marcelle.