Chess

Cuban Grand Master Leinier Domínguez and Uzbek Rustan Kasimdzhanov ended the match in a draw Thursday at the beginning of the Baku Chess Grand Prix.

Leinier, with an ELO of 2751 and playing with white pieces, chose an English open and gained a good position as experts gave in a slight advantage. He had an unconventional distribution of pieces on the board but Kasimdzhanov did not take advantage in an aggressive way and the match finally led to a draw.

Kasimzhanov, with a 2706 ELO, had a better organization of pieces by half of the match with more space and action in the middle of the board as experts change the odds in his favor but could not cause real damage to Leinier and the match ended in move number 30.

Leinier is playing Russian Evgeny Tomashevsky with white pieces on Friday.

Baseball

Ciego de Avila is now heading the Cuban baseball championships after Industriales lost 1-0 against Holguin on Thursday and suffered its first slide of the season.

Pitcher Yusmel Velázquez led Holguin in the third win over Industriales' Azules as he received 4 hits in eight innings and two thirds pitching, although he allowed six walks and saved by Yuniel Garcia.

Holguin outfielder Luis Manuel Castro drove in the only run in the game in the second inning after a throw of defeated pitcher Pedro Durán.

In another game Ciego de Avila came on top of the qualifying list after completing a slide over Camaguey with a 7-4 win on Thursday. Pitcher Dachel Duquesne earned a win on his record and

Arbelio Quiroz a defeat.

Designated hitter Humberto Morales secured Ciego de Avila's 'Tigres' win with a homer with full bases in the sixth inning.

Santiago de Cuba also slid Mayabeque with a 4-1 win on Thursday, highlighting the work of starter Ulfrido García, who allowed six hits and one clean run in seven innings and Carlos Font saved the game.

Edilse Silva led Santiago's 'Avispas' team batting 4-3 with a double, a triple and drove in a run in the game.

In other results on Thursday Villa Clara lost to Las Tunas 4-1 in the first game and Villa Clara defeated La Tunas 4-0 in the second. Pinar del Rio did not allowed Artemisa's slide over them after a 4-3 game that lasted 12 innings.

Granma and Sancti Spiritus cancel the game. Isla de la Juventud beat Guantanamo 8-1 to win the three-game subseries 2-1 as Matanzas won the subseries as well to Cienfuegos after an 11-1 win with an outstanding offensive of 18 hits and the first success of pitcher Cionel Pérez.

Boxing

Cuba is shown as the favorite team to win the boxing tournament of the 22nd Central American and Caribbean Games and repeat a total of eight gold medals won in Cartagena de Indias Games 2006. Cuban boxers have the making of gladiators and international experience to shine in Veracruz, Mexico.

The team includes six medal winners at first level events and other proven athletes as a compact structure to rule out any surprise in the struggle to win a medal. But the paramount question is how many gold medals will Cuba be able to win this time?

The team members are Santiago Amador, Yosbany Veitía, Robeisy Ramírez, Roniel Iglesias, Lázaro Álvarez, Julio César La Cruz, Yasnier Toledo, Erislandy Savón and Yoandris Toirac.

The games will take place from Nov. 21st to the 29th at the World Trade Center in Veracruz. Cuba won 8 gold, one silver and two bronze medals in Cartagena de Indias 2006.