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 An elated Justin Parsons (right) accepting his first place trophy.
 

Justin Parsons takes Under-20 Chess Championship

 

Justin Parsons of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus edged out school mate Bryan Prescod to win the 2016 Barbados Under- 20 chess championship on the last day of last year on tie-break after both players finished on 6 points out of 7. 
 
Parsons was deemed the winner as he had defeated Prescod in their overall head to head match in a decisive fifth round clash.
 
Prescod had lead the tournament up to round 5 and would have known that against Parsons, anything except a loss would have sufficed to possibly clinched the championship. 
 
However, it was Parsons who took up the challenge and playing the white pieces, he constantly had Prescod under pressure, eventually forcing Prescod to crack and Parsons winning, and allowing him to tie on points in the lead. With both players winning their final two rounds, a delighted Parsons was crowned champion to record his first age category victory in his final year as an under 20 player.
 
Prescod disappointingly had to settle for the second spot.
 
Finishing in third was Renaldo Rochester on five points after he had defeated Rachad Gibson of the Lodge School in the final round. Current Under 16 champion Nitin Mahtani came fourth ahead of Emar Edwards, after both players finished on four and a half points, with Mahtani being ahead on the tie-break. Coincidentally, both players drew against each other in the last round. Mahtani won the trophy for best under 16 player on show.
 
Other results in the last round saw victories for Shane Maughn, Leigh Sandiford, Tristan Small and Abijah Toussaint, along with the two top finishers.
 
This event brought down the curtain on the Barbados Chess Federation’s (BCF) calendar of events for 2016. With this, the BCF would like to wish all players, sponsors, parents, supporters and the country at heart a blessed and prosperous 2017, and look forward to seeing players coming out to push their pawns for the new year. 
 
The 2017 BCF tournament calendar begins on January 21, 2017 when the first qualifier for the 2017 National chess championship finals begins.
 

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