ARDENNE HIGH FIFTH former Brandon Wilson is the new National Junior Chess Champion.
Wilson secured the title with a convincing victory over tournament favourite National Master Ras Malaku Lorne in the final round of the National Junior Chess Championships at RBTT Bank Headquarters over the weekend.
Wilson, who finished on a perfect six points from six games, had the black pieces against Lorne in the final game. The game progressed quietly until a raft of exchanges left Lorne with a lost endgame position.
In the other key match on the day, National Women's Champion Deborah Richards defeated Campion College's Charles Ross to tie for second with Lorne on four and a half (4.5) points. This left Ross in fourth position on three (3) points. Fifth place went to Mikhail Solomon of Charlemont High who ended on (2) points and sixth went to Toni Baldie of St. Hugh's High on one (1) point.
With this victory, Wilson has earned the right to represent Jamaica at the World Junior Chess Championships to be held in Kolkata, India, from September 1 to September 15, 2004.
Similarly, as the top female player, Richards has earned the right to represent Jamaica at the World U-20 Championships for Girls also to be held in Kolkata, India, in September.
National Master Lorne and Richards will now focus their attention on the National Chess Championships for senior players, which is currently under way at the Norman Manley Law School at the University of the West Indies.
