Franklyn “The Magician” Gibson, the country’s highest-rated chess player and Bahamian Chess Master, easily won the Bank of Bahamas International Fall Classic to emerge as undisputed challenger for the Bahamas National Chess Championships to be held in November.
Gibson was the only player to remain unvanquished in the five-round Swiss event which offered players a generous 75 minute time control for deep-thinking play.
According to Bahamas Chess Federation observers Gibson never seemed to be in trouble in any of his games, a performance that makes him the likely favourite in the upcoming National Championships.
The field included current National Champion Valentine Cox (6th) although he never fought Gibson in the any of the rounds. Cox scored a modest three wins and a draw, and lost to former champion Thierry Boeuf (4th).
Runner-up for the tournament was Byron Small with four wins out of five and who pipped Joseph Ferguson into third place on a close tie-break.
The most surprising result came from Dominic Bower (Queen’s College) who beat former national champion Leroy MacLean. Elton Joseph (5th) also played well to hold former champion Thierry Boeuf to a draw.
On his way to victory, Gibson met and beat the four top finishers, a result which bodes well for his forthcoming title fight.
Bob Bower (7th) lost to Gibson and Small but with three victories and a tie break he won the Reserve Division trophy.
Relative newcomer Tyler Johnson from South Haven Academy captured the Rook Division prize.
The Bank of Bahamas International’s Fall Classic is the annual qualifying event to select who can contest the Bahamas National Championships. The contenders now are: Open Championship: Valentine Cox vs. Franklyn Gibson; Senior Championship: Warren Seymour vs. Leroy MacLean; Reserve Championship: Bob Bower vs. Ken Gibson; Under 20 Championship: Trevor Lockhart (C.O.B.) vs. Gerald Higgs (C.O.B.); Under 18 Championship: Elton Joseph (C.R. Walker) vs. Le Roi Thompson (Kingsway); Under 16 Championship: Lemaro Thompson (Kingsway) vs. Stephen Sands (H.O. Nash); Under 14 Championship; Lincoln Knowles (S.A.C.) vs. Miguel Adderley (S.A.C.); Under 12 Championship: Dominic Bower (Q.C.) vs. Lavarado Rolle (S.A.C.) with Under 10’s unannounced.
The Bahamas Chess Federation will hold the annual Harold Munnings Heroes’ Day Tournament on Saturday October 11 at C.C. Sweeting Senior High School.
The Bahamas Chess Federation
