Havana, Dec 9 (JIT) - An 18-player squad, headed by Carlos Daniel Albornoz, will represent Cuba in the 34th edition of the Carlos Torre in Memoriam 2024 International Chess Tournament, which will begin next Friday at the traditional venue of the Kukulcan Sports Unit, in Merida.

The Camagüey native will defend the crown he won a year ago, now with 2,572 Elo points that place him as the third pre-ranked player in the announced list. Ahead of him are Peru's Jose Eduardo Martinez (2 608) and Jorge Cori (2 595).

Albornoz, who also won the 2018 and 2019 versions, arrives in the Yucatan locality after a good performance in the recent Benidorm tournament in Spain, where he settled in second place with an accumulated seven points in nine rounds.

Cuba will also depend on other well-known players such as Elier Miranda (2 520), Ermes Espinosa (2 499), Dylan Berdayes (2 463), and Lelys Martínez (2 449).

Among the female exponents of the island are Greter Caballero (2 247), Oleiny Linares (2 198), Maritza Arribas (2 160), Roxángel Obregón (2 137), and Yaniela Forgas (2 125).

The Aztec Sion Radamantiz Galaviz (2 507), the Colombian Joshua Daniel Ruiz (2 433), and the American Kyron Griffith also appear in the list of 43 confirmed riders, a figure that will surely grow before the official closing of registrations.

The appointment was agreed to nine rounds by the Swiss system, with several double rounds, although the final schedule has not yet been disclosed.