Tinnie, Persaud win 2026 U-12 rapid chess championships titles

Winners of the keenly contested championships

Aiden Tinnie is the new U-12 Open Rapid Chess Champion, while Divya Persaud has been crowned the U-12 Girls Rapid Chess Champion for 2026.

The eleven-year-olds delivered splendid performances in the MOO! Milk-sponsored U-12 Open Chess Championship on Saturday at the ACADO Building on the East Bank of Demerara. Tinnie scored a perfect seven points in the Open Category, while Persaud ended with 6.5 points in the Girls’ Category in the seven-round Swiss competition. The tournament saw a turnout of 42 children, including 28 boys and 14 girls.

Tinnie, a promising young player, has been steadily progressing up the ranks. His path to the U-12 Open title included critical victories over fellow talented contenders Vir Narine in the fifth round and Javier Davenand in the sixth. Ten-year-old Narine secured a commendable second place with six points. Fresh from a successful appearance at the CAC Games in Puerto Rico, his only loss of the day was to the champion in the fifth round.

Arian Tinnie, another determined young player, rounded out the top three with five points after losses to his brother Aiden and Narine. Rafael Cappell and Javier Davenand finished fourth and fifth, respectively, both with five points.
In the U-12 Girls’ competition, Persaud displayed exceptional skill, winning all her games and drawing her final match with Maya Alli. Eleven-year-old Amaya Sharma claimed second place with six points, her only loss coming against Persaud in the third round. Third place went to Saura Ruplall, one of the most experienced competitors, who finished with five points.

The tournament also showcased emerging talent in the younger age brackets. In the U-10 Open Category, Mark Defreitas claimed first place, followed by Avery Munroe in second and Pranav Suman in third. In the U-10 Girls’ Category, Malia Thompson took first place, with Amiyah Ally and Isabella Shariff securing second and third places, respectively. In the U-8 Boys’ Category, Pranav Suman won first place, followed by Roshan Ali in second and Tariq John in third. All participants were challenged to think and execute their moves within limited time across seven rounds of the one-day championships.

Prizes and certificates of participation were presented by Ms Aaliyah Kendall, Brand Manager of the MOO! Brand, at the conclusion of the tournament, with young participants also receiving goodies from the company.
The Chief Arbiter, John Lee, and assistant arbiters Kim Shing Chong, Ethan Lee, Italy Ton-Chung, Kishan Puran, and Oluwadare Oyeyipo ensured that every move was played in strict accordance with international rules and regulations.
The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) expresses its sincere gratitude to ACADO Guyana and the MOO! Milk brand for their steadfast sponsorship. Their unwavering support for youth chess and the provision of the tournament venue were instrumental in the success of the event. (GCF)