Cuba: Varadero beach to host Capablanca In Memoriam Tournament

The halls of the Solymar-Arenas Blancas and Meliá Internacional hotels, in the Cuban coastal resort of Varadero, will host the Capablanca In Memoriam Chess Tournament, scheduled from May 9 to 19. 

According to the digital sports weekly Jit, after eight years in its usual venues in Havana, mainly at the Habana Libre hotel, the Capablanca In Memoriam Chess Tournament will return to Varadero in 2025.

National Chess Commissioner Carlos Rivero commented that as is tradition, the Elite group will bring together the highest level players, repeating the attractive format of six contestants, who will play against each other in a double round.

As usual, the presence of outstanding foreign players is expected, and Cuba will be represented by Grand Masters Carlos Daniel Albornoz and Luis Ernesto Quesada, currently the best chess players in the country, he said.

Rivero explained that there will also be activity in the open section, which will include many talents and the other members of the national shortlist team, and in the children’s category, the Looking for Capablanca Tournament will bring together players from the Under-8, Under-10, Under-12, Under-14 and Under-16 categories.

According to the commissioner, the Veteran-Senior competition for players over 60 years of age will also take place, and as a new element, the Under 20 Central American and Caribbean Tournament, which will be hosted in Cuba for the first time and will welcome both male and female contestants, parallel to the main event.