National chess champion Warren Elliott takes a closer look at his position during the final round of the Lasco-sponsored 2005 championships. - Contributed

Competitive chess will make a return to St. Ann after a two-decade hiatus when the Jamaica Chess Federation, in association with the Eight (JCF) River Chess Club, stage the Indepen-dence Chess Open at the Sandcastles hotel, Ochi Rios, from August 5-6.

The event will be open to chess players from all across Jamaica and will take the format of a six-round swiss, with three rounds taking place each day.

The tournament has been organised into a main and a 'B' event, with the main event carrying a first prize of J$15,000 and dinner for two at the Sandals Plantation Inn.

The event which, should attract some of the island's top players, is a part of a wider plan by the JCF to increase the popularity of the sport.

The arbiter for the event will be JCF treasurer, national master Robert Wheeler, and will be rated by the federation.

In the 2007 LASCO National Chess Championships, FIDE Master Warren Elliott widened the gap between himself and the rest of the field after four rounds. Elliott won both his games on the weekend against Peter Myers and national master Mark Holness at the RBTT Bank head office in New Kingston, to remain perfect on four points from four games.

His nearest rival is surprisingly Mark Henry, the second lowest ranked competitor in the championship, who is on 2.5 points after defeating Stewart James on Saturday and losing to national master Equitable Brown on Sunday.

Stiff competition

Third place is now shared by seven competitors, all on two points each - Daren Wisdom, Zachary Ramsay, Myers, national masters Andrew Mellace, Brown, Russel Porter and Holness.

In 10th place is last year's runner-up and seven-time national champion, national master Shane Matthews, on 1.5, and tied in 11th place are Mikhail Solomon and James with one point each.

The National Championships take a break for the next two weeks for the Independence holiday weekend.

This break will also allow the JCF to focus on supporting approximately 10 junior players who will be participating in junior tournaments in Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados during the period.

The championships continue on August 19 when it will be held at the Norman Manley Law School on the Mona campus of the University of the West Indies.