Three in a row for Jamaica women at Chess Olympiad

ACROSS 11 gruelling rounds against the globe’s finest minds at the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan (September 16-27), Jamaica’s contingent demonstrated steel-nerved resilience, with the Women’s Team securing a historic third-straight Zone 2.3.3 crown and the Open Team narrowly taking second place in the zone.

When the final digital clocks were stopped at the end of a tense round 11 finale with Cyprus, Jamaica’s Women’s Team were able to hold on to a draw, to finish the tournament on 11 points, locked in a tie with Barbados and Haiti.

When tie-breaks were employed, the Jamaican Women came out on top, thus securing their third consecutive Zone 2.3.3 Chess Olympiad win, following triumphant campaigns in Budapest, Hungary (2024) and Chennai, India (2022). Zone 2.3.3 spans the English, Dutch and French-speaking Caribbean.