BVI Clean Sweep at Caribbean Cup
The British Virgin Islands opened the Caribbean Chess Cup in Aruba with a perfect start as Elmore Stoutt High School students Anferny Raheem Hodge and Dimitri Fungfook won their first-round games in the Under‑18 section. The event provides BVI’s unrated players a chance to earn FIDE-rated games and forms part of broader Olympiad preparations ahead of the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand this September.
The British Virgin Islands national chess team made a confident start at the Caribbean Chess Cup in Aruba on Wednesday, with Open Team members Anferny Raheem Hodge and Dimitri Fungfook winning their opening-round matches in the Under‑18 section. Both students of Elmore Stoutt High School, Hodge and Fungfook are the youngest members of the BVI Open Team and are competing in their first international over‑the‑board tournament.
Their victories came against opponents from host nation Aruba, and they are being captained and chaperoned in Aruba by BVICF Delegate Sachkia Barnes. The Caribbean Chess Cup runs through 23 August and features a busy schedule of nine rounds, typically two rounds per day. For many of the Territory’s younger and unrated players the event offers the important opportunity to play FIDE‑rated games and begin establishing international ratings — a key step for competitive development and future international seeding.
The competition is also a key component of the BVI Chess Federation’s wider preparation programme for the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, taking place 15–27 September 2026. Team BVI will send both a Women’s Team and an Open Team to the Olympiad. Colombian International Woman Master Angela Franco is serving as Women’s National Team Coach and Captain, while the Open Team is coached by French‑Egyptian Grandmaster Samy Shoker and captained by veteran national team member Art Christopher.
President of the BVI Chess Federation Maurice Lettsome said the exposure is vital. "As we prepare for Samarkand, it is important to give all our players experience outside their usual competition environment," he said. "Our newer national‑team players are gaining valuable exposure against players from across the Americas and the Caribbean.
This preparation supports our overall performance at the Olympiad and helps prepare them for what will be their most challenging competition." The Federation’s build‑up to the Cup has included international tournament experience in Peru at the end of June for Women’s team members Kiara Phillip and Makalia Fergus of the Brigade Flax Educational Centre, plus weekly professional training led by international coaches.
Support for participation in the Caribbean Cup has come from FIDE Americas and the Georges‑Rhymer Institute for Public Policy, in honour of the late Elton Georges, OBE, a founding member of the BVI Chess Federation. Residents can follow Team BVI’s progress and find ways to support the squad via BVI Chess on Facebook at /bvichess.
Primary source: BVI Platinum