By DAHALIA SMITH, NG Sports Reporter

The second and final opportunity to qualify for the World Chess Federation rated (FIDE-world's governing body for chess) Junior National Championships, which are set for November 5-26, is September 14-27 at the CR Walker Senior High School.

The first qualifier was recently held at the LW Young Junior High School and that turned out to be a thriller. In the end two players' C.V. Bethel graduate, Sanchez Brown and College of the Bahamas freshman Scholastic Individual Chess champion, Kristian Plakaris played to a draw which resulted in a tie for first place, totaling three and a half points in the final.

It was the first time in the Bahamas Chess Federation's (BCF) history that a Bahamas Junior Championship title was shared according to BCF President Kean Smith.

The runner-up was C.V. Bethel graduate, Chris Curry who totaled three points and Nassau Christian Academy eighth grader and under 12 and 14 Youth Chess Champion Akini Morris finished third with three points. A.F. Adderley eighth graders' Travis Miller and Gary Black and the 2008 under 10 Youth Chess Champion Polina Major were all tied for fourth place with two points.

Home schooled and 2008 under 14 Youth Chess Champion runner-up Dante Delaney and graduate of Doris Johnson High and 2008 under 12 the Youth Chess runner-up Ricardo Knowles finished seventh with one and a half points. Also C.C. Sweeting Junior Damario Duncombe and A.F. Adderley eighth grader and member of the 2008 Scholastic championship team Javon Parker both registered one point apiece for ninth place.

At the end of the scheduled September qualifier, the overall top 10 players, based on their scores, would advance to the November Junior National Championships.

The five players that recently qualified for the Junior National Championships already includes Ken Gibson, Chappel Whymns, Tamiko McDonald, Wilshire Major and Kristian Plakaris.

Those who did not make the cut for the National Championships still has a chance to play at a major chess event, the Junior Orange Bowl International Chess Championship set for December 27 - 29.

According to the BCF's President Kean Smith some of the travel expenses will be covered through a grant from the Department of Sports however additional support from corporate Bahamas is encouraged.

"The last time we took a team to the Orange Bowl was in 2003 and fielded players in two divisions, 10 to 12 and 13 to 15. At the time there were 137 players participating and the attendance has grown since then.

"In 2003 we finished second in the 10 to 12 division and third in the 13 to 15 division. There were 13 and 15 teams in those respective groups. Outstanding results were produce by Bahamians' Lincoln Knowles who played in the 10-12 division and finished 7th out of 38 players and Leroi Thompson who finished third out of 43 playing in the 13 - 15 division.

Smith hopes that his juniors' will be able to attain the success similar to that of former junior members' National Master Antoinette Seymour and Elton Joseph

Seymour has won eight consecutive Junior Championships from 1976 to 1983 and Joseph who won four Championships 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Furthermore the BCF awarded Seymour with the National Chess Master Title this year for winning at least two Bahamas National Titles.