Bermuda will be sending its first ever youth chess team to the 2018 CARIFTA Games in Suriname next year.

The inaugural team was selected this weekend from the top performers of the six round CARIFTA qualifiers tournament organized by the Bermuda Chess Association [BCA].

The selected players, Niccolo’ Walrond, Conor Outerbridge, and Dimitri Gontcharov will be representing Bermuda in the three main age categories respectively; under 20, under 16, and under 12.

“It is long overdue that we have our own team representing the island in chess, especially considering the passion many of our players have for the game,” said a spokesperson for the BCA.

“I firmly believe that we need to provide our youth with more opportunities to compete at a higher level, not just physically, but intellectually as well.”

The Bermuda Chess Association has been working on its fund-raising efforts to cover the expenses associated with attending CARIFTA, and is seeking the support of sponsors and Government to aid in sending this team, and future ones, abroad to showcase the islands talents.

“We are very proud of all our players and are thankful to the time given by the parents, arbiters and organizers”, said Andrea Marshall-Harris, General Secretary for the BCA. “We wish our players all the best in Suriname”.

The next event organized by the BCA will be The Interschool Chess Championships, which begins on November 18th.

The tournament’s results follow below: