Trinidad and Tobago’s chess prodigy Ty Humphrey emerged as the undisputed champion in the Under-10 Absolute category at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Youth Chess Festival held in Puerto Rico from December 15-20. The young master achieved a perfect unbeaten record throughout the tournament, conceding only a single draw against Jamaica’s Rajvir Shergil during his dominant performance.
Humphrey’s gold medal accomplishment builds upon his previous success at last year’s Youth Chess Festival in El Salvador where he secured a silver medal. His victory established a strong foundation for Trinidad and Tobago’s 19-member delegation that competed across multiple age categories from under-8 to under-18.
The tournament featured intense competition with over 200 participants representing 22 national federations. St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Shetty Vedant captured second position in the Under-10 Absolute category, while Panama’s Jarrin Zhang Dominick Young Hen completed the podium in third place.
Trinidad and Tobago’s contingent demonstrated considerable depth across various competitions. Catherine Ali delivered an impressive performance in the girls’ under-10 category, finishing fourth on tie-breaks with four victories and four draws. In the Under-16 Absolute category, Candidate Master Kael Samuel Bisnath secured seventh position with 5.5 points.
The Blitz Chess Championship on December 19 saw additional strong showings from the Trinidad and Tobago team. Ilyas Hosein claimed bronze in the Under-8 Absolute category, while multiple athletes including Humphrey, Ali, and Naomi Clement achieved fourth-place finishes in their respective divisions.
The Trinidad and Tobago Chess Association (TTCA) provided comprehensive support through coaching staff including Fide Master Joshua Johnson and Candidate Master Dev Soondarsingh. TTCA president Sandy Razark contributed to the event’s organizing committee, while third vice president Sadiqah Razark—recently elevated as Trinidad and Tobago’s sole female arbiter—served on the arbiter team.
The TTCA officially congratulated all players, coaches, and parents for their commendable international performance and acknowledged sponsor C3 Centre for continued support in developing youth chess programs.