EnerMech Guyana Inc. has been confirmed as a sponsor of the 2026 National Junior Chess Championship Qualifiers Tournament, which will run from Sunday, July 5 to July 8 at Olympic House, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.
The seven-round tournament, hosted by the Guyana Chess Federation, will see the country’s leading junior players competing for places in the National Junior Chess Championship finals. The top nine finishers from the qualifiers will advance to the finals, set for July 13 to 18 at the same venue, where they will challenge reigning National Junior Chess Champion Kyle Couchman for the 2026 title.
The event will bring together junior players between the ages of seven and 20 and will be played in the classical format. Players will have 90 minutes on the clock, with a 30-second increment from move one.
The tournament will follow the Swiss system, with two rounds scheduled daily at 9:00h and 14:00h.
This year’s competition will feature two categories for the first time. Group A will be open to experienced players under the age of 20, who will compete for the top nine qualifying spots and the right to challenge for the national junior title.
Some players in Group A are also preparing for upcoming international assignments, including the Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan and the XXXIV Pan American Youth Festival in Colombia.
Group B will cater for emerging players, giving newer competitors an opportunity to compete for a group title and gain experience in a national tournament setting.
According to the GCF, its work with schools and outreach programmes over the past year is expected to contribute to a larger turnout at this year’s tournament.
Prizes in Group A will include qualification spots for the top nine players, along with trophies for the Best Female player, Best Under-14 and Best Under-12 competitors. Group B will feature trophies for the champion and second to fifth place finishers, along with awards for the Best Under-10 and Best Under-8 male and female players.
Trophies will also be awarded to the top three players from Priority Area Schools.
The tournament will be supervised by FIDE Arbiter John Lee and a team of arbiters. The top 12 boards will be broadcast live on Lichess.org, while pairings and standings will be available on Chess-results.com.
The GCF thanked EnerMech Guyana for its support of chess and its investment in young Guyanese talent. The federation also expressed appreciation to the Guyana Olympic Association for providing the venue.
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