Expected wins at the start of the Capablanca chess tournament

HAVANA, Cuba, Apr 19 (ACN) Wins by Deisy Cori (Peru) and Irina Bulgama (Romania) marked the first day of the Premier group in the 55th Capablanca Memorial chess tournament, held at Hotel Nacional de Cuba in downtown Havana.

Cori, who boasts an Elo of 2,391 points, defeated the Polish Oliwia Kiolbasa (2,388) after 30 moves of an English opening, whereas Bulgama prevailed over the Cuban Yaniela Forgas (2,336) in 43 moves of a French defense. All the other games of this all-women section ended in a draw.

In the Elite group, which gathers the 10 top-ranked male players attending the Memorial, all games ended in stalemate except for the one between the Argentine Sandro Mareco (2,652) and the Cuban Carlos Daniel Albornoz, won by the former with a 33-move attack started by a Queen Pawn opening.

Meanwhile, the Senior chapter—for players aged 60 or over—seven of the 10 games ended with victories.

The 55th edition of the Cuban classic tournament, scheduled until the 28th, also features a scientific conference on the new theories of educational chess.