Nellisha Johnson
Meanwhile, in the KFC Guyana sponsored Women’s Nationals, Nellisha Johnson, Sasha Shariff and Pooja Lam are currently tied in the top position on five points each after six matches.
Johnson’s only defeat so far has been against the defending Women’s champion Sasha Shariff. She convincingly won her game with Jessica Callender, a laborious three-hour match.
Minor inaccuracies by Callender give Johnson the advantage from the beginning. Although the two players had equal material during the middle game, Callender’s position had weaknesses, which Johnson took advantage of.
Shariff and Lam have not yet lost any matches, but drew their games against each other and number two seed Callender, who won the Qualifying tournament. Adia Alphonso and Maliha Rajkumar follow closely behind the top three players on three points each.
The Open and Women Nationals are being run concurrently at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, and will end on Sunday (May 29).
The top finisher in each tournament will be named National Champion and Women’s National Champion respectively.
Additionally, a point based system, inclusive of results from the Grand Prix Tournaments, as well as the Nationals, will determine the 10-member team to represent Guyana in India at the 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad in July/August this year.
