Lelys Martinez

Havana, Feb 4 (JIT) - The National Absolute Chess Championship 2025 began today in Ciego de Avila with the Blitz games segment, in which Lelys Martinez, from Santiago de Cuba, defends his crown.

Lelys is one of the five grandmasters confirmed for the three-minute duels event, in which 31 players have registered to play nine rounds of Swiss system.

Carlos Daniel Albornoz from Camagüey, bronze medalist in the previous edition of blitz games, Dylan Berdayes from Havana, Juan Borges from Guantanamo, and Ermes Espinosa from Villaclare, are the other contenders with the highest international ranking.

In the Blitz competition, some local players will have the opportunity to participate, so that the number of contestants exceeds 24, which from this Wednesday will animate the classic duels, scheduled until the 14th with 10 rounds, also by the Swiss system.

This contest will have a new champion, as the organizers confirmed the non-presentation of Luis Ernesto Quesada, the current champion. Havana's Omar Almeida and Villaclare's Elier Miranda will also be absent.

Different personal reasons motivated these absences and the national commission of the Science Game announced that each case will be analyzed together with the high performance direction of Inder.

According to the current regulations for this sport on the island, participation in the elite competition is a mandatory requirement to join the national pre-selection.