Friday, March 29, 2024

Checkmate!

Date:

Share post:

Who would have thought the game of chess could bring two hearts together?

And if you were to ask Martyn and Julissa, the first husband and wife combination to hold national titles, they’d simply use the chess term – checkmate.

It was indeed a win when the couple, now 29, crossed paths during a Chess Olympiad in Germany in 2008, having lived some distance apart from the time they began making moves along the 64-squared checkered game board as children. Julissa Figueroa is from Guatemala, which is 2062 miles away from the island he called home.

The six-time national chess champion Martyn Del Castilho was at the tournament representing Barbados when he noticed Julissa sitting alone following a defeat.

“She had looked disappointed because she had lost her game. I went to try to cheer her up. She was very shy at first and very nervous and speaking in English wasn’t any help. I can’t speak Spanish fluently but I know enough to get around,” he told EASY magazine.

Before returning to their respective countries, they exchanged emails and remained in contact over the years and even saw each other at other tournaments before they were engaged in Norway in 2014. (RG)

Subscribe now to our eNATION edition for the full story.

For the latest stories and breaking news updates download the Nationnews apps for iOS and Android.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Related articles

Natassia’s journey from tragedy to triumph

In a world often characterised by turbulence and uncertainty, a beacon of hope often emerges from some of...

No decision yet on Lester Vaughan School

A firm decision has not yet been made regarding when the Lester Vaughan School will be reopened. Following a...

BDF to conduct simulation exercise on April 2 & 3

The Barbados Defence Force (BDF) will conduct a Mass Casualty Simulation Exercise from Tuesday, April 2, to Wednesday,...

Barbadians reminded to file taxes online as filing season starts

The Barbados Revenue Authority (the BRA) is advising that tax filing season for 2023 begins on April 1 this...