Fide Master Joshua Johnson emerged triumphant at the Promenade Chess Club’s Blitz Grand Tour, held at Valpark Plaza in Valsayn on December 28, 2025. The accomplished chess prodigy, who previously secured a silver medal at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games, demonstrated exceptional strategic prowess to claim the open category championship against a competitive field of 25 participants.
Johnson dominated the tournament with an impressive 8.5 points, securing the $1,200 top prize ahead of runners-up Reaz Ali (7 points, $700 prize) and Enen-Sa-Tefa Ab Khafra (6.5 points, $500 prize). The event showcased multiple competitive categories, with Sandhya Ramsaroop earning recognition as the best female player and receiving a $400 award.
Youth categories produced equally compelling results. Ilyas Hosein, who recently placed third in the Under-8 Absolute category at the CAC Youth Chess Festival, claimed victory in the under-8 division. The under-12 category was won by Zidan Khan, who outperformed competitors Yuri Hosein and Ejaz Maharaj. The juniors (under-20) category concluded with an extraordinary four-way tie between Caleb Campo, Nahum Garcia, Zachary Murray, and Andre Rupert, all finishing with five points after nine rounds of intense competition.
The tournament received support from several sponsors including Basic Transport, KFC, Galactica, Marios, Radica Trading, Valpark Plaza, and TYCO Farms. The Promenade Chess Club announced plans to maintain this competitive momentum throughout 2026 with additional events, including a major tournament scheduled at the Brian Lara Promenade in Port of Spain.