Cave takes revenge in India Assurance chess

CHRISTO CAVE exacted a measure of revenge on Trinidad and Tobago champion and FIDE Master Ryan Harper in sixth round action at the New India Assurance National Chess Championship.

Competition takes place in the Conference Room, Student Activity Centre, UWI St Augustine Campus last weekend.Cave, who copped the Prime Minister Challenge Trophy a record 11 times during his impressive career, remains on course to retain his title, which he surrendered last year at the end of the 11-round round-robin style tournament On Saturday, Harper opened up the match with a closed variation of the Sicilian defence, which backfired when he was forced to retreat his knight when Cave expanded on the D5 square. In deep trouble, Harper took half an hour to contemplate his next move and, when he retreated, Cave launched a queen-side attack and forced victory when Harper’s time ran out.In the Women’s Open contest, Sinead Furlong was successful in her two matches to date while India-born Malini Srinivasan, Kenyan Margarette Thairu, Aditi Soondarsingh and Arlene Blackman, principal of the Blackman’s Private Primary School, have one win apiece.

National Championship Results
Round 5 (Friday) - Christo Cave def Cecil Lee; John Raphael def Andrew Bowles; Jerome Joseph draw with Frank Yee; Mario Merritt def Joffery Marcelle;  Lenard Duncan def Kirby Hope; Ryan Harper def Ravishen Singh.
Round 6 (Saturday) - Christo Cave def Ryan Harper; Ravishen Singh def Kirby Hope; Lenard Duncan def Joffery Marcelle; Frank Yee draw with Mario Merritt; Jerome Joseph def Andrew Bowles; Cecil Lee draw with John Raphael.
Round 7 (Sunday) - Christo Cave def John Raphael; Ryan Harper def Kirby Hope; Frank Yee draw with Lenard Duncan; Andrew Bowles def Mario Merritt; Jerome Joseph draw with Cecil Lee; Ravishen Singh draw with Joffery Marcelle.