Vanuatu chess players Jeremy Ellison and Jayson Tasso are flying the national flag at the Darling Downs Open chess tournament in Toowoomba, Australia.

Both players are competing in the major division, as part of their preparation for the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan.

The Darling Downs Open is a premier chess event featuring three divisions. The tournament kicked off over the weekend.

Jeremy Ellison, a candidate master, said he is testing his skills and preparing for the Olympiad.

“Try my luck to see and challenge myself. There are three categories – the premier division, major division, and minor division – and I am eligible to compete in the major. I believe with hard work I have a chance to take first place. There will be no easy commitment and I will challenge myself. It is not easy, but I will try, like last year’s tournaments, and I can now test myself compared to before to prepare for the Olympiad in 2026,” Ellison said.

Jayson Tasso expressed excitement at representing Vanuatu.

“Yes, it will be the first time for me competing, and I heard it will be tough. I hope I will gain some good experience to help me,” Tasso said.

Both Ellison and Tasso left Vanuatu this week to represent the country in this major chess event.