Belmopan Library Hosts Thrilling Chess Tournament
On March 15, 2025, the Belmopan Public Library hosted an exciting tournament featuring 34 players from across Belize and guest participants from Mexico. The event saw representation from Stann Creek, Cayo, Orange Walk, Belize, and Toledo!
A special note of gratitude goes to Mr. Mac Bay from the Wall Street Estate for sponsoring the tournament, to Mr. Carlisle Barrow from the Belmopan Library for facilitating this prestigious event and Dr. Jossely Awe for being our tournament director!
Journey to the Tournament
From Toledo, Mr. Valentino Vernon Sr. and his son, Valentino Vernon Jr., embarked on the long journey to Belmopan to participate. Likewise, the Fuentes family traveled from Mexico to join the event!
The BCF would also like to give a special thanks to the Wilberth Fuentes and his family for not only attending our event all the way from Mexico but for also donating six digital chess clocks to the federation!
Tournament Structure
For the first time in the federation, we divided the tournament into two sections based on national ratings.
Upper Section (1400+) - Featuring nine of Belize’s top 20 players along with guest competitors Wilberth Sebastian Fuentes and Andre Nicolas Fuentes from Mexico.
Lower Section - Highlighting talented junior players such as Curtis Andrade, Jaylon Saldano, and Gregory McGibney, as well as two young female players, Emily Andrade and Julia Davis.
Time Control: 15+5, Format: Swiss, Round: 5
Lower Section Highlights
Round 1
Emily Andrade pulled off a stunning upset against Joshua Davis.
Yann Monnier impressively held tournament favorite Gregory McGibney to a draw.
Round 2
A father-son clash saw Oliver Andrade triumph over his son, Curtis Andrade.
Curtis Andrade vs Oliver Andrade
Round 3
In a pivotal match, Jaylon Saldano defeated Joseph Davis to take the early lead.
Drew Gill and Christopher Penner settled for a draw.
Oliver Andrade also held Gregory McGibney to a draw, a disappointing result for the tournament favorite Gregory..
Round 4
Jaylon Saldano continued his strong run, securing a victory over Drew Gill.
Oliver Andrade defeated Christopher Penner to stay in contention for the top spot.
Toledo’s Valentino Vernon Jr. delivered an impressive win against tournament favorite Gregory McGibney.
Round 5 & Tiebreaks
Down by half a point, Oliver Andrade won against Jaylon Saldano to claim 1st place.
Curtis Andrade defeated Joseph Davis, tying Jaylon Saldano for 2nd place.
A tiebreak match between Curtis Andrade and Jaylon Saldano saw Jaylon emerge victorious.
Tiebreak match between Curtis Andrade (Right) vs Jaylon Saldano (Left) Drew Gill and Christopher Penner finished with a strong 3.5/5 performance.
Final Standings:
Oliver Andrade - 1st Place
Jaylon Saldano - 2nd Place
Curtis Andrade - 3rd Place
Upper Section Highlights
Round 1
In a closely contested match, Alfred Awe secured an early advantage against Andre Fuentes, but Andre’s strong endgame defense forced a draw.
Andre Fuentez vs Alfred Awe
Round 2
Wilberth Fuentes faced Kurtis Valdez, who was fresh off a win at the John Paul tournament. Despite the challenge, Wilberth triumphed.
In a shocking turn, Nathaniel Reyes capitalized on a blunder to defeat Belize’s #1 player, Alfred Awe.
Round 3
Wilberth Fuentes continued his winning streak by defeating Greg Vitko.
Nathaniel Reyes pulled off another major upset, taking down Belize’s #3 player, Luis Mendez.
Round 4
Nathaniel Reyes faced Wilberth Fuentes in a crucial match.
Alfred Awe, pushing for a win against Kuang Lin, blundered a mate in two, handing victory to Kuang.
Round 5
Wilberth Fuentes capped off his remarkable performance with a win against Luis Mendez, securing 1st place.
In their first matchup, Greg Vitko got the better of Kurtis Valdez, finishing strong.
Kurtis Valdez vs Greg Vitko
Final Standings:
1st Place - Wilberth Fuentes (MEX)
2nd Place - Greg Vitko (CY)
3rd Place - Nathaniel Reyes (BZ)
Kurtis Valdez overtakes Luis Mendez in the standings and is now ranked 4th. Nathaniel Reyes shoots up to 5 places to Rank 5. Both Alfred Awe and Luis Mendez had a disappointing showing at the event.
Conclusion
The Belmopan Public Library Chess Tournament was an incredible success. Congratulations to all players, and we look forward to the next thrilling chess tournament!
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