Local chess champs place in top 10 at Caribbean games

Two of the BVI’s young chess players have secured top-10 finishes at the inaugural Caribbean Chess Cup in Aruba, giving Team BVI a strong showing ahead of a major international competition next month.

Anferny Raheem Hodge finished fourth overall among 21 competitors, while Dimitri Fungfook placed ninth.

The tournament marked the first time both players competed in an international over-the-board chess competition.

Hodge entered the tournament ranked 14th but climbed the standings after scoring 5.5 points from nine games. His performance also earned him the Best Under-16 Male medal.

Fungfook also improved on his starting position. He entered ranked 13th and finished ninth after collecting 4.5 points.

In an interesting finish for the BVI team, Hodge and Fungfook were paired against each other in the ninth and final round. Their match ended in a draw.

The team returned to the territory on August 25 following the competition.

The Caribbean Chess Cup also served as valuable preparation for the BVI’s participation in the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

The national delegation is scheduled to leave the BVI on September 11 to compete at the Olympiad, one of the biggest international events on the chess calendar.

The BVI Chess Federation said participation in the Caribbean tournament was made possible through support from FIDE Americas and the Georges-Rhymer Institute for Public Policy.

The institute’s support was provided in honour of former Deputy Governor Elton Georges, OBE, who was also a founding member of the BVI Chess Federation.

The federation is encouraging residents to continue supporting the players as they prepare to represent the territory on the international stage.