The Bregado Flax Educational Centre - Secondary Division Senior Team and the St. Georges Secondary School Junior Team are the winners of the 2023 Inter-Secondary School Chess Tournament.

The top three students for the Senior Secondary Division were Alexis Ganigan from the Bregado Flax Educational Centre winning 1^st; Zevieh Abraham from the Elmore Stoutt High School placed 2^nd; and Dominic Clarence from the Bregado Flax Educational Centre placed 3^rd. The final game that determined the winners was played on Wednesday, December 13. 

Acting Chief Education Officer, Mrs. Orlandette Crabbe said the Inter-Secondary School Chess Tournament was the first in the Territory.

Mrs. Crabbe said the event was sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports and thanked Education Minister Honourable Sharie de Castro for endorsing the vision.

“Without you, this event would not have been possible,” Mrs. Crabbe said. She further thanked the BVI Chess Federation for its unwavering support, expertise and commitment to fostering a culture of intelligence and strategic thinking in the community and the officials, arbiters, and volunteers who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the smooth conduct of the tournament.

Tournament Director, Mr. Art Christopher said that Chess in the Virgin Islands is very strong and dates back 50 years.

“Our Chess Federation is one of the oldest in the world. Lately we have been trying to get more of our young players to revive chess here. I am overjoyed to see what we have seen here today,” Mr. Christopher said.

The Director added, “We do have a national team that competes internationally and we have been scoping players here for that national team and I think we see a lot of good prospects.”

The Inter-Secondary School Chess Tournament was categorised by Juniors and Seniors. The Junior Secondary winner was the St. Georges Secondary School while the Senior Secondary winner was the Bregado Flax Educational Centre (BFEC) - Secondary Division. Second place for the Junior students came from the BFEC and the Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) placed third. Second place for the Senior students was the ESHS while St. Georges placed third.

Coordinator of the Chess Tournament and Education Officer, Ms. Renee Weston said that the seven schools including Bregado Flax Educational Centre, Claudia Creque Educational Centre, Ciboney Centre for Excellence, Cedar International School, Elmore Stoutt High School, St. Georges Secondary School and the Virgin Islands School of Technical Studies registered for the tournament.  

Ms. Weston said individual awards were given for the top students in the tournament. She said in the Junior Secondary Division, Rayjon George from St. Georges Secondary School placed 1^st, Isaiah George from Bregado Flax Educational Centre placed 2^nd; while Dimitri Fungfook from the Elmore Stoutt High School placed 3^rd.

Ms. Weston said, “There was an open session for primary students to participate, where 28 students entered. The winner from that segment was Isaiah Smith, Broden Baird placed second and Zivon Abraham placed third.”

Persons wishing to view the final games and award ceremony can do so on the Government’s Facebook page via this link:

https://www.facebook.com/BVIGovernment/videos/1678138452679752