PRESS RELEASE 1: June 13, 2005

DEL CASTILHO WINS OPENING MATCH AT PAN AMERICAN UNDER 16

Martyn Del Castilho, Barbados’ lone representative at the Pan American Youth Chess Championships currently being played in Santa Catarina, Brazil, won his opening match against John Lenon Rocha of Brazil.

Del Castilho (2017), who is seed number 21 in the Under 16 Section, made light work of the unrated Brazilian in a Ruy Lopez opening.

Martyn Del Castilho, Barbados’ lone representative at the Pan American Youth Chess Championships

In fact the opening matches saw no upsets on the top boards with number 1 seed FIDE Master Axel Bachman (2410) of Paraguay setting the tone by dismantling Diego de Sousa Correa of Brazil.

The Defending Pan American Under 16 Champion, International Master Eduardo Iturrizaga (2225) of Venezuela, also started well defeating Eriksson Felipe Denk of Brazil.

Play in the Pan American Youth is being contested in five age categories for boys and girls, Under 18, 16, 14, 12 and 10 and there are 380 participants drawn from host Brazil, Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay, USA and Venezuela.

Round 2 sees Del Castilho paired against the top Brazilian Under-16 player FIDE Master Andre Diamant (2229) who is the Number 6 Seed.