World Youth chess Championship

17 – 29th November 2007

Antalya/Turkey

Bajans Bounce Back in Round Three (3) of World Youth Chess Championships

The Bajan connection of Martyn Del Castilho, Justin Blackman and Alex Jackman bounced back from a round two set back to score 2 ˝ points at the World open in Antalya Turkey on day three of the eleven round competition.

Playing in their first ever World Open the trio huddled to stave off any attacks from their opponents, managing their time in a more efficient way than before resulting in each having a surplus of time at the end of the games all of which were Sicilian Defenses.

Martyn Del Castilho representing Barbados in the Under 18 Section played the White side of a Sicilian Najdorf against the un rated Rami Taher of Libya.  Martyn out played his opponent and won the exchange at move 23 and went on to win the game seventeen moves later and now has a total of 1 ˝ points from 3 games.

Justin Blackman playing in the World Under 16 Section had the Black pieces against Lukas Kuchynka of the Czech Republic   rated 2188 by F.I.D.E.  This game was also a Sicilian Defense, as all the games of the Bajans have been so far, Blackman’s game was quite even for about 30 moves but his opponent found the time control difficult and made a few slight errors which were punished by Blackman but the errors were insufficient to gain him the point and the game was drawn at move 56. Blackman now has a total of 1 ˝  point form 3 games

Alex Jackman playing in the World Under 14 was fortunate to gain his point against Davor Draskoviz of Main, who failed to capitalize on Jackman’s moving his dark Square Bishop some seven (7) times in the opening stage of the game without good reason.  Jackman used his good fortune to build up an attack on his opponent’s King Side where he played a three move combination which forced his opponent to give up his queen for a bishop.  His opponent resigned one move later to Jackman’s delight. Jackman now has 1 point from 3 games.

The Barbados team will have to up their game and play other than the Sicilian as playing the same type of game can leave them venerable to “Home preparation” a fate even grandmaster suffer from time to time. “Peter Dawson”

Reporting from the Limra International Hotel, Antalya, Turkey.

Tele: 0.242.824.53.00 Room number (3515)

Peter Dawson

Chess Coach,

President B.C.F.