VANDOFF SMITH, a 14-year-old Fatima College student, is the new IBM Christmas Chess champion. He won the seven-rounds swiss style tournament at the ALGICO Plaza, St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain recording his first victory in his six years of participation.

Smith who gained an international rating of 1827 this year is the second of a family of four chess-playing children of Russell Smith, president of School Chess Union of TT.

His younger sister Javanna, the female national Under-12 champion, attends Holy Name Convent, Port-of-Spain and who also has an international rating (1819), took the prize as the best female ahead of Darielle Browne of Christian Academy of Arima and Najarah Mohammed of South East Port-of-Spain Secondary.

In the Under-8 category Quentrall DeSilva of Balmain Presbyterian won from Jon-Raphael Sealy of Richmond Street Boys’ with Amba DeSilva third.

Zurich Smith of Holy Name Prep won the Under-10 category from Browne with Gerard Seally in third place.

The top schools were Fatima College, Holy Name Convent Port-of-Spain, Balmain Presbyterian, Richmond Street Boys’, Christian Primary Academy, Chinmaya High Couva, South East Port-of-Spain and St Ursula’s Girls.

The sixth annual IBM Christmas junior championship was organised by TT Chess Academy and Promotion (TTCAP) together with Schools Chess Union of TT (SCUTT).