The U.S. Virgin Islands Chess Federation hosted the St. Thomas Open Scholastic Chess Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 4, at the Windward Passage Hotel.  Thirty five students, ages 7-17, played in four age categories, U9, U12, U15 and U18. The young chess players represented seven schools in the St. Thomas-St. John District: Adelita Cancryn, Antilles, Gifft Hill, Ivanna Eudora Kean, Montessori, Sts. Peter and Paul and Ulla Muller.
The older two age groups played three 2-hour rounds, the younger ones played five 1-hour rounds.
Trophies were awarded to the top three players in each age group as follows:

U9:  1st Alessandro Gever [Antilles], 2nd Kamden Benjamin [Montessori], 3rd Viren Punjabi [Antilles]

U12:  1st Benjamin Shapiro [Antilles], 2nd Manav Thadani [Antilles], 3rd Amoi Ottley [Montessori]
U15:  1st William Van Rensselaer [Antilles], 2nd Tommy Wise [Sts. Peter and Paul], 3rd Noah Stolz [Montessori]
U18:  1st Alex Emerich [Montessori], 2nd Jerell James [Ivanna Eudora Kean], 3rd Nkosi Jones [Gifft Hill].
For more photos and results, please go to chessvi.com.
The U.S. Virgin Islands Chess Federation is a member of  the World Chess Federation (FIDE). Its members are eligible to represent the Virgin Islands in international chess tournaments. In the last few years, USVI scholastic players have played in Trinidad, Greece and Puerto Rico.
For more information on how you can help sponsor young chess players to participate in international chess competitions, please contact Margaret Murphy at usvichess@hotmail.com.