Developing the Young Minds of The Bahamas

Below are just a few of the outstanding young chess players who have benefited from this amazing game.

WCM Polina Karelina – born 2001. Polina was first introduced to chess at the age of 4 by Bahamian chess teacher Warren Seymour. She has been a member of the Bahamas Chess Federation since she was 5 years old. At the age of 6 she won the Under 10 Championship of the Bahamas. Only 2 years later at the age of 8, Polina became the Bahamas Overall Scholastic Individual Champion 2010. At the age of 9 she tied for first place in the Bahamas Junior Chess Championship. She became the Junior Chess Champion in 2011 when she was 10 years old. Polina represented The Bahamas in the World Youth Chess Championships in 2009 (Turkey) and 2011 (Brazil) before encountering health issues that curtailed her chess ambitions. In January 2016, Polina returned to participating in tournaments. She earned the Women Candidate Master (WCM) title in the Sub-Zonal 2.3.5 (May 2016, Barbados). By FIDE (World Chess Federation) ratings list, Polina is currently the number 1 female chess player in the Bahamas. She is the current Bahamas Junior Chess Champion.

CM Nathan Smith – born 2005.  After playing in his first chess tournament in March 2013, Nathan went on to place second in the Bahamas Junior Chess Championship in August 2013 and to qualify for the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Youth Festival held in San Jose, Costa Rica in December 2013.  There, he won the gold medal in the Under-8 age category, and based on his exceptional performance, was awarded the Candidate Master (CM) title by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) - a first for The Bahamas. In 2014, CM Nathan Smith won Gold Medal  at CARIFTA in Martinique in the Under 10 division and Silver Medal performance in the under 12 division. In 2016, CM Nathan Smith won Gold Medal the Under 12 section of CARIFTA held in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. He is the ​Bahamas Overall Scholastic Individual Champion 2017.

WCM Daijah Johnson – born 2003.  Since her introduction to Chess in late 2012, Daijah has become a regular player in local tournaments.  Her passion and commitment to the game has been extraordinary.  Daijah competed in the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Youth Festival held in San Jose, Costa Rica in December 2013, where she placed 5th in the Under-10 Female section.  In 2015, Daijah was awarded the Woman Candidate Master (WCM) title for placing 3rd in Under-12 Female section at the CAC Youth Festival in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

Aidan Mart - born 2004.  Since playing in his first tournament in early 2019, Aidan has become one of the top junior chess players in the BCF and produced the following results: 1st Place - Pohlemus Darling Chess Championship 2019 (U16 Section); 2nd Place - Scholastic Chess Team Championship 2019 (finished undefeated over 4 rounds on Board 1); 2nd Place - Scholastic Individual Chess Championship 2019 (U16 Category) and 1st Place - Warren Seymour Chess Championship 2020 (four-way tie).  In addition, Aidan represented The Bahamas internationally in CARIFTA Chess Championship 2019, Curacao (U16 Category) and the North American Youth Chess Championship 2019, Ontario, Canada (U16 Category).

Trinity Pinder – born 2003.  Trinity is a member of the Bain and Grants Town Chess Club, a part of the Bahamas Chess Federation’s community outreach program that has attracted a number of exceptional youngsters. She won the Under 16 section of the 2015 Blitz Chess Championship, and came first in the Under 14 section of the Bahamas Junior Championship 2017. She is an enthusiastic honour roll student at S. C. McPherson. She represented the Bahamas at CARIFTA 2017 in the Under 16 Female category.

Ivoine Strachan – born 2005.  Ivoine is a member of the Bain and Grants Town Chess Club who strives hard to be the best. Ivoine’s dedication to learning chess has been rewarded by a dramatic improvement in his playing skill and grades at school.  In 2015, Ivoine became the strongest Under-10 chess player in the country. He represented the Bahamas at CARIFTA 2017 in the Under 12 category.