Perfect chess seven for Raphael

Christopher Raphael scored a perfect seven points to top the Under-12 age group while eight-year-old Keron Cabralis won the Under-10 age group with a score of 6.0 and took home the Best Under-8 accolade in the Trinidad and Tobago Chess Foundation Scholastic Open Chess Tournament.

Margaret Thairn won the Under-14 category and took the Best Female award for her performance as did Elena Noel in the Under-16; Lyndian Guiseppi in the Under-12 divisions and Sinead Furlong who was third in the Under-10 age group and secured the Best Female award for the age group. The competition was implemented to help develop critical thinking and social skills, build self-esteem, engender discipline and empower children to succeed and organisers were pleased with the success of this year’s effort. This year showed the  highest participation level to date and a record prize fund. It was an opportunity for the 50 students in five age-groups.

Following are the results out of a total of seven points:
Under-10: 1. Keron Cabralis 6.0; 2.Alpacino Smith 5.5;  3. Sinead Furlong.
Best Female: Sinead Furlong.
Best Under-8: Keron Cabralis.
Under-12: 1. Christopher Raphael 7; 2. Justin Salloum 6;  3. Senitish Srinivasan.
Best Female: Lyndian Guiseppi.
Under-14: 1. Margaret Thairn 5.5; 2. Aschille Clarke-Mendes 5.5;  3. Bakari Camara 5.5.
Best Female: Margaret Thairn.
Under-16: 1. Mark Richards 5; 2. David Hay 3.0;  3. Craig Richards 2.5.
Best Female: Elena Noel.
Under 20: 1. Mikhail Ramadar 4; 2. Gregory Oliviere 3.5;  3. Nissan Pow 3.5.