Jamaican delegation dominates junior chess congress

THE JAMAICA delegation at the 2024 National Junior Chess Congress (NJCC) once again performed admirably, walking away with 10 team trophies across 14 categories at the end of the three-day competition.

Representing the Chess Whiz Kids Academy (CWKA) and WECHESS Academy, Jamaican players had a terrific showing at the international tournament held in Orlando, Florida.

The team’s trophy haul included four first-place finishes as well as five second-place nods.

CKWA walked away with their sixth consecutive title as the competition’s top club, while WECHESS, in their first-ever appearance, took second place.

WECHESS were also awarded best new international club with podium finishes in four sections.

The win also meant CKWA maintained their perfect record at the tournament since their inaugural participation in 2017.

In their report after the competition, CWKA said the result was a major sign of progress for the club to strengthen their hold on the NJCC title.

“CWKA has been dedicated to nurturing young chess talents and providing them with opportunities to compete on international stages,” the report read. “From our humble beginnings with a single player in our first international tournament, we have grown to lead delegations of over 30 students.

“These students, starting from as young as four years old, compete for titles and scholarships, showcasing their skills and determination.”

The delegation, led by Chess National Master Ryan Blackwood, walked away with 45 trophies at the end of the competition.

Blackwood praised the competition as a perfect platform for young chess players to hone their craft against some of the best international competition on offer.

“We have a mixture of well-experienced players as well as newcomers but the tournament is one of such where it offers sections to players who are complete beginners, ranging up to players who are above my level as a national master.”

The NJCC was the first of three international competitions for Jamaican chess players this summer, with the 2024 Pan-American Youth Chess Festival as well as the 2024 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Youth Chess Festival.

CWKA Jamaican Team Members:

Breya Johnson, Jaydion Campbell, Jayden Hylton, Jordan Mantock, Justin Allison, Justin Mantock, Khaleel Bartlett, Nathaniel Green, Spencer-Rein McPherson, Taylor Johnson, Terrence Smith, Trey-Joshua Dwyer

WECHESS Jamaican Players:

Aayush Jain, Cameron Coe, Kayla Mose, Vaishnav Gali, Elisha Patel, Emilia-Rose Leake, Samakhya Singh, Nathan Cherian, Dejaun Williams, Isabel Misir, Gracy Patel, Zoe Elliott, Kwame Taylor, Ronak Shergil and Rajvir Shergil