Cuban GMs Lead Chess Tournament in Mexico

Cubans Lazaro Bruzon and Isam Ortiz started off as expected and lead the Carlos Torre chess tournament in Merida, Mexico.

Bruzon is the best-ranked player of the contest and is the favorite to win the tournament. He seems to be committed to achieve this goal as he has already beat Mexican Roberto Carlos Arriaga and fellow Cuban Orlen Ruiz.

Isam, current Cuban champion, comes in second and also won uncomplicated matches over Mexican Alan Navarrete and Cuban Luis Manuel Perez.

The large group of 19 players in the main group totaling two points also includes the Cubans Lelys Martínez (7 th seat), Reynaldo Vera (12), Juan Carlos Obregón (13), Jesus Nogueiras (14) and Juan Borges (17), among others.

A total of 110 players are participating this time in one of the oldest chess contests of the Americas, including tournaments organized by age with the participation of other Cuban players.

Boxing

“There is Robeisy Ramírez for a long time and this is a message for those who doubted me,” the featherweight Olympic Champion said Friday after guaranteeing a bronze medal at the Playa Girón National Boxing Tournament ending Sunday in Villa Clara.

The Olympic champ throw tireless punches from the beginning till the end of the fight as a demonstration of his excellent physical fitness and defeated Yasser Pérez 3-0 who fought with energy even after he received a standing count in the second round.

“I continued training after my return from the Central American Games in Veracruz and I have improved a lot, mainly my physical condition,” stated Ramírez. “I want to win the title I lost last year and I am looking forward to participating in the World Boxing Series, the World Boxing Championship and the Pan American Games in 2015,” he added.

Dates of 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia Announced

The International Football Federation (FIFA) decided the opening and closing dates of the World Cup Russia-2018, at a meeting of its executive committee.

The tournament will begin on June 14th and will end on July 15th, FIFA announced.

FIFA in the meantime also confirmed the dates for the 2017 confederations cup will take place between June 17th and July 2, 2017.

The details of the two calendars will be revealed the week before the draw for the qualifying groups of the World Cup, scheduled for July 25, 2015, in St. Petersburg.

The determination of the dates occurred after Joseph Blatter, president of FIFA, reiterated the designation of Russia and Qatar as the hosts for the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and 2022, amid the scandal by the resignation of U.S. Michael Garcia, in charge of investigating suspected fraud in appointing these two nations.

FIFA Club World Cup Final 2014: Real Madrid vs. San Lorenzo

Real Madrid takes on San Lorenzo in the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup final on Saturday, as the European and South American contenders once again proved too strong for their competition.

Both clubs entered the tournament at the semi-final stage, with Los Merengues thrashing Mexico's Cruz Azul 4-0 and the Copa Libertadores winners needing extra time to get past Auckland City.

Real Madrid have won 21 straight matches and are taking this competition very serious as San Lorenzo will have to be at their very best to stop Real Madrid from frolicking to another easy win.

Real Madrid is seeking a Spanish record-extending 22nd consecutive win in all competitions against San Lorenzo and victory would add the Club World Cup to their 2014 Champions League, King's Cup and European Super Cup crowns.