Nearly 60 students and teachers on Leguan Island took part in a one-day introductory chess workshop on Saturday, marking a milestone for the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) as it expands its outreach across Region Three.
The six-hour session, held at Leguan Secondary School, drew participants from Grade 3 upward, along with eight teachers from across the 12-square-mile agricultural island, home to roughly 3,000 residents.
Attendees learned the fundamentals of chess, including piece movement, capturing, and basic checkmates. Each participant received an introductory manual, and the five participating schools — Maryville Primary, Success Primary, Richmond Hill Primary, Eastern Leguan Primary, and Leguan Secondary — were tasked with establishing internal chess clubs as extracurricular activities. Each school was gifted five chess sets, with the GCF promising additional equipment as the clubs develop.
GCF President Anand Raghunauth said he was satisfied with the turnout and stressed that introducing chess to the school curriculum was crucial for youth development.
“The federation remains fully committed to providing ongoing technical assistance and resources to sustain the newly formed clubs,” he said.
Ms. Juliet Augustus, Headmistress of Maryville Primary, expressed gratitude to the federation, highlighting the value chess brings to both students and teachers.
The programme was led by FIDE School Instructors Mrs. Marcia Lee, Anand Raghunauth, Kim Shing-Chong, Nellisha Johnson, and Ethan Lee, supported by federation members John Lee, Gilbert Williams, Ethen Pompey, Ronan Lee, Arysh Raghunauth, Angelina Yhap, and Chelsea Harrison.
The GCF credited the Unit of Allied Arts and the Ministry of Education’s regional body for making the initiative possible. Future regional tournaments and expanded outreach campaigns are already being planned for Region Three.
Interested persons can register at guyanachess.gy or follow the GCF on Facebook and Instagram.
