Havana, May 4 (JIT)--The national champion Luis Ernesto Quesada starred this Friday in a triumphant debut in the elite group of the 57 Capablanca in Memóriam 2024 International Chess Tournament, which is played at the Habana Libre hotel.

The Avilanian, registered with the most discreet Elo of the six animators of the main segment, led the black pieces with precision to subdue the Dane Mads Andersen after 57 sets of a Ruy López Opening.

Key to the outcome was the dominance of the queen column, which he took advantage of to penetrate with his main weapons and create weaknesses in the rival terrain. He then achieved the definitive advantage in the rook ending, which he arrived with two more pawns than his opponent.

Equally effective during his debut was the Ukrainian favorite Ruslan Ponomariov, successful in the power of dark figures against the Norwegian Evgeny Romanov after 31 moves of a Queen's Pawn Opening.

Carlos Daniel Albornoz from Camagüey left the game room less happy, defeated by the Indian Aryan Chopra. He needed 38 touches in command of the white pieces in a Sicilian Defense to join the winners of the first round of a tournament agreed upon in a double round by the All Against All System.

For this Saturday the program includes the matches between Albornoz-Ponomariov, Luis Ernesto Romanov and Chopra-Andersen.

In the open group, 65 of the 154 contestants started with victory. Among the winners were several candidates for the title, such as the Cubans Omar Almeida, Dylan Berdayes and Ermes Espinosa, as well as the Spanish José Fernando Cuenca and the Canadian Bator Sambuev.