Cuban chess players

Havana, Dec 24 (JIT) - Daniel Hidalgo, Cuban junior champion, dominated the Free group of the Cancun Chess Festival 2024, a rapid games competition held in that famous Mexican resort.

The winner last August of the national crown in his category, and considered among the main talents of the Science Game on the Island, won after accumulating 4.5 points out of a possible five.

The Free segment was convened with 20-minute duels, plus five seconds of increment after each move, and brought together 25 players, including several from the Greater Antilles.

The Havana native came close to a perfect performance in the competition, which did not materialize due to the draw with Lisandro Fernandez -local of Cuban origin-, who took the third place on the podium with four units.

With the same amount, but favored by the tie-breaker system, the Cuban Rodney Perez, who took the second position, closed with the same amount. The same number of units was in the hands of young Greter Caballero, in fourth place.

At the same time, a 12-round league system tournament was held between four of the most outstanding players of the continent nowadays. This segment was baptized Magistral and had duels agreed to 10 minutes, plus five seconds of addition after each move.

The Peruvian Jose Eduardo Martinez -representing Mexico- repeated his recent reign in the Carlos Torre International Chess Tournament, after scoring 11 points. Behind him was Cuba's Carlos Daniel Albornoz with seven points thanks to five wins, three losses and four draws.

Juan Carlos Obregón, Cuban playing for the Mexican federation, and the host Sion Radamantys Galaviz, were placed third and fourth with only 3.5 and 2.5 points, respectively.