BVI Chess Team Earns Three Candidate Masters
The British Virgin Islands Chess Federation is celebrating a historic milestone following the national team's performance at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Eighteen-year-old Shamoy Joseph and fourteen-year-old Kiara Phillip earned Candidate Master titles, while Jhon Samuel had his title eligibility confirmed. The achievements mark a major step forward for youth development and competitive chess across the Territory.
The British Virgin Islands Chess Federation is celebrating a major milestone after national team members secured three Candidate Master titles following their participation in the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The prestigious international tournament brought together more than 200 national teams across 11 rounds of intense over-the-board competition, ranking among the largest editions in the history of the Olympiad.
Eighteen-year-old Shamoy Joseph delivered a standout individual campaign for the Open team, earning five points from 10 games with a tournament performance rating of 1,869. Joseph secured victories against competitors from Comoros, Jersey, Seychelles, the Solomon Islands, the Marshall Islands, and Fiji.
His efforts also helped the Open team capture its first match victory of the tournament by defeating Comoros 2.5 to 1.5 in Round 4, officially earning him Candidate Master status. Meanwhile, 14-year-old Kiara Phillip made a historic debut on the Women's team. Phillip scored four points from six games, recording victories over opponents from Bermuda and Vanuatu.
Her Round 3 victory over Bermuda marked the Virgin Islands' first individual win at the tournament, anchoring a 3-1 team victory alongside teammates Chane-Ann Chin and Makalia Fergus. Phillip's achievement makes her one of the youngest players in the Territory to attain the Candidate Master title.
The Federation also received notice that Jhon Samuel is now officially eligible for his conditional Candidate Master title, based on an achievement secured during the Territory's return to Olympiad competition in Chennai, India, in 2022. The BVI Open squad featured Maurice Lettsome, Jhon Samuel, Shamoy Joseph, Anferny Raheem Hodge, and Dimitri Fungfook, captained by Art K.
The Women's team comprised Tiandra Scatliffe, Makalia Fergus, Alexis Ganigan, Chane-Ann Chin, and Kiara Phillip, led by team captain Angela Franco. The delegation was managed by Jenefer McSheene, with Sachkia Barnes serving as the Territory's delegate to the FIDE Congress. Federation officials emphasized that these accomplishments highlight the steady growth of local chess development, bolstered by preparatory competitions in Peru and Aruba earlier in the year and sustained participation on the international stage.
Primary source: VINO