The absence of Lisandra Ordaz, current Cuban women’s champion chess in Cuba, stands out in the list of 24 players who will participate in the Women’s National Championship of 2025.
The woman from Pinar del Río, with the title of Grand Master, will not be in the tournament because she is still enjoying her recent motherhood, she points out. a note published on the sports portal Hit.
Therefore, from the event that will begin next February 6 in Villa Clara, a new monarch of the so-called science game on the island will emerge.
Defined candidates for the female throne of the #chess in #Cuba
Young talents from the Science Game on the Island entered the national championship from the qualifying tournaments. #CubanSport #chesshttps://t.co/IDamy0YqoT pic.twitter.com/cpFIOnJvrD— JIT Cuban Sport (@jit_digital) January 23, 2025
In 2024, Ordaz, the only Cuban with the category of International Master without distinction of sex, reconquered the female chess throne on the island. Then, she put in a remarkable performance in the final rounds to finish with the same cumulative total as Leannet Bosch from Santiago.
In the tiebreaker series, agreed in the Blitz modality, the low return player took advantage of her greater experience to ensure a success that had eluded her in the previous four years.
That victory assured him a place on the team that would represent Cuba in the 2024 Budapest Olympics, but ultimately was not included in the payroll in the middle of the gestation process, although at that time the local federation gave “personal problems” as the reason.
The national chess commission has now confirmed that Havana’s Dexnisi del Rosario will take Lisandra’s place in the Cuban competition as a substitute.
With the confirmation of the cheerleaders of the Cuban championship, the time that Ordaz will remain away from the boards will be extended to more than a year, and his followers are waiting for another tournament to see him move pieces.
Experience and youth among the candidates
The list of players with options for the Cuban chess crown was defined after the closing of the qualifying tournaments, and the process to complete it taking into account the category and the Elo coefficient.
According to HitYerisbel Miranda from Pinar del Río, Oleiny Linares, Maritza Arribas, Yaniela Forgas and Leannet Bosch from Santiago, Roxángel Obregón from Villa Clara and Ineymig Hernández from Camagüey, have a secure place in the competition due to their status as members of the national preselection.
Oleiny Linares wins the women’s chess crown in Cuba for the fourth time
Dairenis Guerrero from Holguín and Karen Torres from Granma secure their place in the contest corresponding to the eastern zone, while Haden Zuaznabal from Matanzas and Karen Luis from Pinar del Río advanced from the western competition.
From the call in the center of the island, Legna García from Cienfuegos and Jinela Rodríguez from Villa Clara emerged with their tickets, and they will be joined by Gretell Caballero from Mayabeque, as the current youth national champion.
Based on her rank and Elo, Zirka Frómeta from Santiago was also added to the group, who will complete her 43rd participation in these championships, and the Villa Clara residents Patricia Hernández, Melissa Rodríguez, Lorena Montejo and Amanda Muñiz joined the group in the same way; Amy Cepero and Karen Gutiérrez from Matanzas, and Yoanna González and Chrissye González from the capital.
According to what was announced by the organizers, the new women’s national championship will be held by the Swiss system with nine rounds, with a stage at the Guillermo García Chess Palace, in Villa Clara.
