6th Annual John Paul II Chess Tournament
On Saturday, February 24th, 2024, John Paul the Great College hosted its highly anticipated 6th Annual Chess Tournament, showcasing some of the best chess players in Benque Biejo Del Carmen.
The Event features many new players as well as Belize Current Rank 3 Player Luis Mendez Jr. who comes into the event as the favorite. Despite this, the championship title int he Annual John Paul Chess tournament has alluded him in his past 4 attempts.
One of the most anticipated matchups of the tournament occurred in the penultimate round between seasoned contenders Luis Mendez Jr. and Joseph Carvalho. In a thrilling rematch from a previous edition of the tournament, Mendez emerged victorious.
The final round added a unique father-daughter showdown between Ella Carvalho and her father, Joseph Carvalho. Despite the familial ties, the match was fiercely contested, with Ella seizing the opportunity to capitalize on some unforced errors by her father, securing an impressive victory and securing 2nd place in the tournament.
Ultimately, it was Luis B. Mendez Jr. who (after 5 years of falling short) finally clinched the title, going undefeated through the event.
The Belize Chess Federation (BCF) extended its heartfelt congratulations to Mendez and Ella for their remarkable achievement and expressed gratitude to John Paul the Great College for its unwavering support in fostering the chess community in Belize.
