Inaugural Island Queens Chess Tournament 2024

On Saturday, May 11th, Pink Pawns Program, a new females-only chess initiative hosted its inaugural tournament called ‘Island Queens Tournament’ with the full support of Bahamas Chess Federation. The Pink Pawns Program is on a steadfast mission to empower Bahamian females through the game of chess

Pink Pawns Program offers a free six-week chess program designed to attract females and teach them how to play chess. It covers the rules and all the basics required to play a game to checkmate. By incorporating practical weekly lessons based on the Pink Pawns principles, participants also learn essential life skills that empower them to succeed on and off the board.

Their first tournament was held at Holy Cross’ Pavillion, with twelve registered players competing in two age categories, resulted in:

Island Queens
1st Place Chika Pride
2nd Place Dianna Williams
3rd Danica Rolle

Pawns (Beginners)
1st Place Kaaliyah Cooper
2nd Place Ronan Evans
3rd Place D’Nae Whyms

The international chess body has set a mandate to attract and engage more females in this heavily male-dominated sport, and the Bahamas Chess Federation has complied. Chess is a mental sport and there are no real, arguable, or justifiable reasons why women cannot enter this sport, compete with each other, and also contest men. The end goal is to grow the interest of female players and give them platforms to train to strengthen their performance so it creates equal opportunity in the chess arena for all.

The Pink Pawn Program’s mandate for females is ’empowering moves, empowering minds.’ The outline of this program is threefold. The first is creating a space for girls and women to learn chess, and develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills over the board. The next step is creating play and tournaments to showcase what has been learned and to sharpen skills. The end goal is about training and community connection.

Founded in 2022 by sisters Angel Pride and Chika Pride, the Pink Pawns Program is a non-profit organization dedicated to revolutionizing the landscape of chess in The Bahamas. With a profound commitment to breaking down barriers and fostering inclusivity, Pink Pawns strives to make chess more accessible and enticing for Bahamian females.

Angel Pride, a fervent advocate for the transformative benefits of chess, is a devoted FIDE Arbiter who is also an experienced chess administrator, having served as an Executive Board Member of the Bahamas Chess Federation.

Chika Pride, the youngest Chess Olympiad qualifier who is set to represent the country this coming September with her Team Bahamas, brings her formidable skills as a competitive chess player, channeling her passion to inspire other girls to embrace the game.
The sisters envision a future where females have equitable access to chess and equal opportunities to excel as males.
“Our aim is to utilize chess as a catalyst for unlocking women’s full potential, creating a nurturing environment that fosters participation, passion, perseverance, and promotion. Through our innovative “Pawns develop into Queens” concept, we strive to create a supportive community where every move signifies a step towards realizing one’s aspirations.”