The Cuban team that competes in the U-16 World Chess Olympiad won the victory in its first confrontation against the squad from Azerbaijan, host country of the event in which chess players from 34 nations compete in the city of Nakhchivan.
National media report that the Antillean team triumphed with a score of 2.5-1.5 over the Azeris thanks to the victory of the Cuban second board Leduard González, champion of the 58th National School Games, against Rza Hassalini.
In the remaining three tables of the group, Daniel Hidalgo against Huseyn Seyid, José A. Hernández against Rajab Abdullabayli and Greter Caballero against Nazli Humbatova for the fourth board, in a complicated first match, coach Rodney Pérez told the Cuban News Agency.
Cuba is among the winning countries on the opening day of the tournament along with 16 other nations, among which are the favorites Iran (best placed in the ranking initial), India, Mexico, Mongolia, Latvia, Uzbekistan 1, Georgia 1 and Bangladesh, which will be the next rival of the largest of the Antilles in the clash on Monday.
This World Chess Olympiad for children under 16 brings together 206 male players and 56 women, in a tournament where it is mandatory for each team to present at least one athlete on one of the competing boards.
Cuba led to Latin America in the recently concluded World Chess Olympiad for Seniors, in which they finished in 18th place by adding the classifications of the men’s and women’s groups.
