Sports
Smith Brings Bahamas Gold and Silver in CARIFTA Chess
Apr 30, 2014 - 11:22:04 PM

eam Bahamas - (​L to R​)​ CM Nathan Smith (Under-12), Philip Hanna (Under-20), and Chaz Garraway (Under-16)

The Bahamas' junior chess team returned on April 23 from the CARIFTA Chess Championship in Martinique, where the four-day tournament brought together nearly eighty of the Caribbean's best young players.

Representing The Bahamas was 9-​year​-​old Candidate Master (CM) Nathan Smith, 15​-​year​-​old Chaz Garraway, and 17​-​year​-​old Philip Hanna.

​After seven rounds of tense mental struggle, it was young master Smith who grabbed the spotlight. Capturing five wins and two draws, Smith joined Trinidad's top under-12 player CM Sean Yearwood's as the only unbeaten players in the Under-12 section. The 9​-​year​-​old's successes included a draw against Yearwood, a draw against Barbados' ​u​nder-14 champion, and a win against Martinique's ​under-12 champion.

Because Yearwood finished with one more win and one less draw in the tournament, Smith was edged out for the gold in the Under-12 section.  Still, the young master proudly accepted the Under-12 silver and the Under-10 gold medal and secured his place as one of the brightest talents in the region.​

Smith ​completed ​his brilliant campaign with 6.0 points​ out of a possible 7.0​, ​while Hanna ​scored 3.0 points, and Garraway 2.0 points.  The total of 11.0 points put Team Bahamas above the impor​tant 50% threshold in the highly competitive field.

CARIFTA 2014 marked another milestone for the Bahamas Chess Federation ​which in 2013 began fielding juniors teams for ​regional competition. Since then, The Bahamas has gone on to collect two gold medals and a silver, all by Smith.​

Smith was awarded the Candidate Master title by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) after his gold medal performance at the CAC Youth Festival in Costa Rica in December 2013.  He now set​s​ his sights on the Pan-American Youth Festival, scheduled for Mexico City in July 2014.

For more information on the Bahamas Chess Federation, visit its website a t www.bahamaschess.org.

​CM Nathan Smith thinking through his next move

Philip Hanna (Under-20) makes his move

Under-12 Winners - (​L to R) CM Nathan Smith of The Bahamas​, 2nd Place; CM Sean Yearwood of Trinidad​, 1st Place; and Kyle Sandiford of Barbados, 3rd Place

Chaz Garraway played in the Under-16 section.​

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