GM Timur Gareev, IM Marko Zivanic lead the JNBS UWI Chess Masters
Grand Master Timur Gareev from Uzbekistan and International Master Marko Zivanic from Serbia lead the JNBS UWI Masters after four rounds of play with three and a half points.
GM-elect Giorgi Margvelasvhili of Georgia trails half a point behind. On Monday the games began with local number one FIDE Master Warren Elliott taking on GM Gareev in a swift Benko gambit. The Grandmaster went on to sacrifice the exchange, and finished in resilient style. The other highlight of the first round saw Marcus Joseph, the national champion of Trinidad and Tobago, toppling Jamaican veteran National Master Geoffrey Byfield in his pet Smith-Morra Gambit line.
In the second round of play, GM Gareev continued his carnage, defeating Swedish FIDE Master Bengt Hammar in a 46-move Ruy Lopez Archangel. Top seeds GM Gareev and IM Margvelashvili split the point, foregoing defeat, in the third round.
Action heated up on Wednesday when local FIDE Master Jomo Pitterson defeated Swedish FM Bengt Hammar, while GM Gareev and IM Margvelasvhili defeated NM Marcus Joseph and FM Warren Elliott, respectively, in quick but beautiful style.
Inter-hall Chess
Chancellor Hall (UWI), led by National Master Damion Davy, dominated the Inter-hall Chess Competition, when they flanked Rex Nettleford Hall 3-0 in the final, this after turning back top seeds Preston Hall.
David Mullings (centre), manager of eChannels and Discount Business from the Jamaica National Building Society, makes the first move on the game between top seeds Grand Master Timur Gareev from the University of Texas and International Master Giorgi Margvelashvili from the University of Maryland, while Dr Thelora Reynolds, the director of student services (UWI) looks on.