Home|Sports|Valentine Cox sweeps Fall Classic Chess tournamentSports
The Nassau GuardianSend an emailSeptember 15, 2022 168 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email
The Fall Classic Chess Tournament took place this weekend at the University of The Bahamas’ (UB) Choices Restaurant on September 10-11. This vital partnership between UB and the Bahamas Chess Federation (BCF) was formed to promote the growth and development of critical and analytical thinking, leadership and safe social interaction in The Bahamas through the sport of chess.
The Fall Classic Chess Tournament was the final qualifier to determine who would fill the remaining spots at the upcoming Bahamas National Chess Championship. Valentine Cox defeated all his opponents and emerged as the overall winner of the tournament. Dr. Kenville Lockhart came second, and Avian Pride secured third place. The Fall Classic Chess Tournament was the final qualifier to determine who would fill the remaining spots at the upcoming Bahamas National Chess Championship.
The tournament was set up as a five round Swiss format, game in 60 minutes plus five seconds per move tournament. The chief arbiter of the Fall Classic Chess Tournament was Andre White. He is an experienced chess arbiter. White was one of nearly two hundred arbiters selected by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), out of a total of over 14,000 official FIDE arbiters globally, to arbiter at the 44th Chess Olympiad held in Chennai, India this summer. The 44th Chess Olympiad was his second Olympiad as an arbiter. The first was in Tromso, Norway in 2014. White was assisted at the tournament by Angel Pride.
Subsequent to a recent partnership formed between UB and BCF, future chess tournaments will be held at UB.
“UB is excited for the opportunity to collaborate with the Bahamas Chess Federation,” said Dr. Joseph Ferguson, assistant professor, mathematics and Chess Club advisor, the University of The Bahamas.
He continued: “We recognize that many of the younger chess players currently in primary and high schools will one day be at UB, and we want them to know that chess has a home at the university.
President Rollins, vice-president Stubbs and the entire UB community congratulates BCF on the tournament and their efforts.”
Candidate Master (CM) Kendrick Knowles, BCF president, recognized the partnership between UB and the BCF.
He added: “I thank UB for hosting the Fall Classic Tournament and look forward to BCF hosting more chess tournaments and events in collaboration with the University of The Bahamas. Traditionally higher education institutions and chess go hand in hand. Top universities around the world promote chess and participate regularly in chess tournaments. Congratulations to Cox on a stellar performance. I am excited for The Bahamas Nationals, the players qualifying for the Nationals are the top chess players in The Bahamas and competition will be intense.”
The Bahamas National Chess Championship, the biggest event on the BCF calendar, is a five-day event. Players for the upcoming Bahamas National Chess Championship include CM Knowles, Shawn Barker, Curtis Pride, CM Nathan Smith, FIDE Master (FM) Cecil Moncur, Avian Pride, Noah Albury, Trevor Bridgewater, Cox and Dr. Lockhart.