Colombian FIDE Master (MF) José Gabriel Cardoso and Grand Master (GM) Luis Ernesto Quesada, from Ciego de Ávila, remain at the top of the Tomás Jiménez International Chess Tournament In Memoriambased in that Cuban city.
The event takes place in the Antonio «Ñico» García Sports History Room with the participation of ten players, six Cubans, three Colombians and one Mexican, who will face each other in a round robin with nine rounds until the 19th. of May. The one with the most points will win.
By beating their rivals yesterday, Tuesday, with black pieces, Cardoso (2,451) and Quesada (2,539) accumulated 5.5 points out of a possible 7.
The Colombian surpassed in 48 movements of a Sicilian Defense the International Master (IM) Michel Alejandro Díaz (2,439), from Las Tunas. The Avilanian prevailed over FM Carlos Sandoval, from Mexico, on move 43.
Behind the leaders in the standings are GM Hermes Espinosa from Villa Clara with (4.5 points), MF Kevert Solares from Avilanian (4), IM Arnaldo Fernández from Holguin (4), IM Michel Alejandro Díaz from Las Tunas (4 ), Colombian MF Luis Alejandro Mateus (2.5) and IM Luis Alejandro Ávila (2), GM Juan Borged from Guantánamo (1.5) and Mexican MF Carlos Sandoval (1.5).
The provincial chess commissioner, René Espinosa Reyes, said that the competition grants Grand Master norms to whoever reaches seven points and International Master to whoever reaches five points.
In this edition, the average ELO of the tournament is 2,249. It classifies with category VIII on the scale of the International Chess Federation (FIDE).
