EXPERIENCE will be a critical factor in Barbados. chances at the 36th Chess Olympiad starting in Mallorca, Spain, next week.
Barbados has named a strong six-member squad, managed by former national champion Peter Dawson for the October 14. 31 tournament, which is expected to have representative teams from more than 140 countries around the world. It will be the ninth occasion Barbados will be sending a team to the Chess Olympiad since making its debut in 1986 in Dubai. International Master Kevin Denny, who has an international rating of 2334, highest ever rating for a Barbadian, will lead Barbados challenge on Board 1.
Denny will be supported by FIDE Master Delisle Warner, Former National Chess Champion with a rating of 2291 on Board 2; National Sports Councils coach Terry Farley, who has an international rating of 2247 and FIDE master Dr. Philip Corbin, with an international rating of 2242 on Board 4. Dr. Corbin is the most experienced member of the Olympiad team playing in all the Olympiad appearances of Barbados. Mark John Alleyne, 2002 Junior National Champion, with an international rating of 2077 and Martyn Del Castilho, 2004 Sagicor Open Junior Champion, with a FIDE rating of 1997 complete the team to add youth to the experience.
Barbados is slated to play 14 matches against separate countries and manager Dawson said the team would be seeking to improve on their best ever placing of 65th at the 1990 Olympiad in Novi Sad, Yugoslavia.
This team has done a considerable amount of training together since the players were selected almost three months ago. Because of that, the team is very well prepared and team spirit is very high, Dawson said. The team which leaves the island on Wednesday, is expected to receive assistance from English coach Adam Hunte, an International Master with a rating of 2434.
The Barbados Chess Federation is thankful to their chief sponsors The National Sports Council and The Barbados Olympic Association, whose support is enabling them to compete at the 36th Chess Olympiad.
One can follow the action at www.barbados.org/chess.
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