Shaw, Gayle lead as National Junior Absolute and Female Chess Champs return
After a year’s absence, the 2025 National Junior Absolute & Female Chess Championships returned with the first four rounds of the nine-round competition unfolding this past weekend.
In the Absolute section, defending champion, Fide Master (FM) Jaden Shaw leads with maximum four points, closely followed by his PCI teammate John Stephenson, also perfect on three points from three games. St Jago High school student Jayden Foreshaw sits third with three points from four games.
In the female section, St Andrew High School’s Kaia Gayle leads the field on maximum four points from defending champion, University of The West Indies’ Amy Stephenson on three points from four games.
Vastly improved junior Glory Murphy sits third on 2.5 points.
Round 5 of the competition will be contested on Friday at ChriStar Hotel in St Andrew at 6:00 pm with the remaining four rounds and presentations at the weekend.
The 2025 National Junior Absolute & Female Chess Championships is a Jamaica Chess Federation by-invitation-only event, which sees Jamaica’s top 20 junior chess talents vying for national honours, cash awards, and the right to represent Jamaica internationally in an official capacity.
