Flanagan Brothers Shine At Chess Festival

December 24, 2025 | 0 Comments

Brothers Odin, Dylan, and Bjorn Flanagan represented Bermuda at the XX Central American & Caribbean Youth Chess Festival held in Puerto Rico.

A spokesperson said, “Congratulations to the Flanagan brothers, Odin [14-years-old], Dylan [12-years-old], and Bjorn [6-years-old], who proudly represented Bermuda at the XX Central American & Caribbean Youth Chess Festival held in Puerto Rico from December 13th to 20th. This prestigious competition, covering a region with a population of over 230 million, featured almost 400 participants from across the region and marks Bermuda’s first participation in the tournament.

“Over the course of six days, each participant played nine grueling games, with some lasting up to five hours. The boys achieved remarkable results. Bjorn, in his first-ever tournament, scored four points from nine games in the under-8 section, finishing 16th overall. Odin, competing in the highly competitive under-14 section, also finished 16th with an impressive 4.5 points from nine games. Dylan excelled in the under-12 section, securing a podium finish [top five] with 6.5 points from nine games, just half a point behind second place.

“The Flanagan brothers have been playing chess from a very young age and continue to make significant progress on the international stage. The Bermuda Chess Association [BCA] congratulates them and hopes to see more Bermuda youth players emerge through the Bermuda Chess in Education initiative, in collaboration with Bermuda’s Department of Education.

“This achievement caps a phenomenal year for chess in Bermuda. The Chess in Education drive has produced 22 new FIDE School Instructors [SI], 5 FIDE Lead School Instructors [LSI], and 2 FIDE Senior Lead Instructors [SLI]. It is estimated that over 2000 students were introduced to chess in Bermuda during 2025. The Bermuda Chess Association has also significantly promoted Women’s Chess, with nearly 30 Bermuda participants in FIDE’s Queen’s Gambit Challenge free online lessons, and the hosting of Bermuda’s inaugural Women’s Championship held in November 2025.

“Additionally, the BCA has received substantial donations and grants, including 400 chess sets from Gift of Chess, EUR 10,000 of funding from FIDE’s Planning and Development Committee, and grants from Orbis, the XL Foundation, and the Renaissance Re Foundation. These funds will be used to provide a chess scholarship for Bermuda College, create pathways into international business through chess, and further chess in education training for Bermuda’s schools.

“The Bermuda Chess Association is incredibly optimistic and excited about 2026 and the successes in future youth tournaments.”