Three in a row for Jamaica women at Chess Olympiad

ACROSS 11 gruelling rounds against the globe’s finest minds at the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan (September 16-27), Jamaica’s contingent demonstrated steel-nerved resilience, with the Women’s Team securing a historic third-straight Zone 2.3.3 crown and the Open Team narrowly taking second place in the zone. When the final digital clocks were stopped at the end of a tense round 11 finale with Cyprus, Jamaica’s Women’s Team were able to hold on to a draw, to finish the tournament on 11 points, locked in a tie with Barbados and Haiti. When tie-breaks were employed, the Jamaican Women came out on top, thus securing their third consecutive Zone 2.3.3 Chess Olympiad win, following triumphant campaigns in Budapest, Hungary (2024) and Chennai, India (2022). Zone 2.3.3 spans the English, Dutch and French-speaking Caribbean. The Women’s Team included Woman FIDE Master (WFM) Adani Clarke, Woman International Master (WIM) Rachel Miller, Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Kaia Gayle, WCM Gabriella Watson and Amy Stephenson. There was also individual success for Gayle and Watson, whose performances qualified them for the prestigious WFM title. Both rising stars will now look to elevate their international ratings to 1900 to officially cement the title. The Open Team delivered a valiant campaign that kept Jamaica’s supporters on the edge of their seats throughout the 11-round marathon. Consisting of FIDE Master (FM) Joshua Christie, FM Shreyas Smith, FM Raheem Glaves, FM Jaden Shaw, and Candidate Master (CM) Akeem Brown, the Open squad finished on 10 points, level with a number of regional rivals including Barbados, Guyana, Suriname, Bahamas, Haiti and St Lucia. When tiebreaks were employed, Jamaica placed second by the narrowest of margins behind Barbados, who took the top spot in Zone 2.3.3. In a dramatic round 11 showdown, Jamaica went down 1-3 to Algeria, narrowly relinquishing the top zone crown they had captured in Budapest in 2024. Standout players for the Open Team were FM Jaden Shaw, who chalked up 6 points from 9 games and reigning National Champion FM Shreyas Smith, who finished strong on 5.5 points from nine games. Also producing a standout performance was Jamaican National Master Ryan Blackwood, who played board 1 for the Cayman Open Team during the Olympiad. Blackwood ended on 4.5 points from 11 games, which resulted in him being awarded the CM title. Blackwood is not the first Jamaican to represent another country, as Bermuda and Bahamas Chess Olympiad Teams have also benefited from players originating in Jamaica. Standing Tall Among Global Giants While locking down the Caribbean, Jamaica’s chess elite also measured themselves against the absolute titans of international chess. The global Open tournament was captured by hosts Uzbekistan with 20 points, ahead of India and Germany (both on 18 points, with India taking silver on tiebreaks). In the Women’s Olympiad, China claimed gold with 20 points, followed by Kazakhstan (18 points) and India (17 points). Reflecting on the team’s performance across the board, Jamaica Chess Federation President Ian Wilkinson praised the players, stating that both teams did magnificently well, even as the Open team narrowly yielded the top zone spot to Barbados. Wilkinson expressed special delight in the phenomenal rise of WCMs Gayle and Watson, whose qualification for WFM titles highlights the continued explosive growth of Jamaica’s women’s chess talent. The JCF extends profound gratitude to its vital partners whose unwavering support made this historic campaign possible: FIDE, the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport (MCGES), SDF, JOA, FGB and the Magnificent Chess Foundation.   Complete Zone 2.3.3 Final Standings: Open Section: 1. Barbados (10 pts), 2. Jamaica (10 pts), 3. Guyana (10 pts), 4. Suriname (10 pts), 5. The Bahamas (10 pts), 6. Haiti (10 pts), 7. St. Lucia (10 pts), 8. Trinidad and Tobago (9 pts), 9. Aruba (9 pts), 10. Cayman Islands (8 pts), 11. Antigua and Barbuda (8 pts), 12. Curacao (8 pts), 13. US Virgin Islands (8 pts), 14. Grenada (7 pts), 15. Bermuda (7 pts), 16. Dominica (7 pts), 17. St. Vincent and the Grenadines (6 pts), 18. British Virgin Islands (6 pts), 19. St. Kitts and Nevis (2 pts).   Women’s Section: 1. Jamaica (11 pts), 2. Barbados (11 pts), 3. Haiti (11 pts), 4. Suriname (10 pts), 5. The Bahamas (10 pts), 6. Trinidad and Tobago (9 pts), 7. Cayman Islands (9 pts), 8. Aruba (9 pts), 9. Guyana (8 pts), 10. St. Lucia (8 pts), 11. Antigua and Barbuda (8 pts), 12. Dominica (7 pts), 13. Grenada (7 pts), 14. British Virgin Islands (7 pts), 15. St. Vincent and the Grenadines (7 pts), 16. US Virgin Islands (7 pts), 17. Curacao (6 pts), 18. Bermuda (6 pts), 19. St. Kitts and Nevis (5 pts).