ST Jago ‘A’ scored a perfect five wins from five matches to capture the National High Schools All-Island Chess title at the event that lasted April 16–17.

Campion College A finished second, while Campion College C took third and Campion College B placed fourth. Defending champions Wolmer’s Boys’ A completed the top five.

St Jago A were led by Candidate Master Nathaniel Hope, along with Jayden Forshaw, Team Captain J-Loy Chin, Jevaughny Oliver, and Michael Baker. The team was coached by Troy Leachman, assisted by Christopher Murdock, with Dr Claire Grant serving as manager and Stacy-Ann Forshaw as assistant manager.

Hope also secured the top board one award. Wolmer’s Boys’ Corbin Harvey won board two, St Jago’s Chin took board three, and Green Island High’s Tahir McIntosh won board four. St Catherine High’s Jennae Thomas and Campion College’s Rohit Mahtani took the top reserve awards.

Seven zone winners advanced automatically to the finals, after preliminary rounds played across the island. Cornwall College won Zone A, Green Island High topped Zone B, Denbigh High won Zone C, St Jago A took Zone D, Wolmer’s Boys’ A won Zone E, Calabar C captured Zone F, and Morant Bay High won Zone G.

St Jago A also copped the Best Rural School award, while Campion College A were named Best Urban School. Campion College D finished as the top all-female team.

A new blitz competition was introduced this year, with seven schools participating. Campion College’s Jaheim Smart and Ronak Shergil emerged champions, finishing ahead of St Jago A’s Hope and Chin. Wolmer’s Boys’ A, represented by FIDE Master Jaden Shaw and Harvey, placed third.