The second qualifier for the National Chess Championships got off to a spectacular start on Monday with almost 50 people turning out for the tournament.

With the inclusion of the elite junior squads, competitors as young as

THE SECOND QUALIFIER for the National Chess Championships got off to a spectacular start on Monday with almost 50 people turning out for the tournament.

With the inclusion of the elite junior squads, competitors as young as eight-year-old Mikhail Mascoll turned up to vie for the five places at stake to challenge national champion Delisle Warner.

Chess is known to be a young man's game and upsets were expected. However, the older heads turned back the youngsters for this round although 11-year-old Daniel Griffith gave Allan Herbert a tough fight in the last game.

Kevin Denny, the local chess king and sole International Master in the English-speaking Caribbean, signalled his return by outplaying Akeem Cox in a Combermere past-versus-present clash. The top seed will be looking for no less than a perfect score to announce his return to local chess.

On a night when families were present as parents watched the games, Comarie Mansour (mother of Xavier and Sebastian Mansour, who are also playing in the tournament) took on Colvin Howard (with daughter Corinne also playing).

The action continues at 6:30 p.m. today and on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Harrison College. Information is also posted on the Barbados Chess Federation's website http://barbados.org/ chess/ (SC)