Por Carlos Manuel Bernal López 
Hours pass between squares and castling at the José Raúl Capablanca Provincial Chess Academy, in the city of Matanzas, as part of the activities framed in the Athens National Festival of Cuba 2023.
More than 30 players from seven Cuban provinces participate in the event. According to the provincial commissioner and organizer of the contest, Michel Yglesias Herrera, the tournament moves under the Swiss format to nine rounds with a single group.
The joust began with the dispute of the blitz title or rapid games with sub-headquarters in the Cuban Association of Artisans Artists of Matanzas. This modality had the FIDE Master from Cardenense Luis Daniel Rodríguez as champion, by computing 8.5 points.
Rodríguez repeated the throne of the previous year when he won this category. Now he was seconded by the International Master Jorge Marcos Gómez and the FIDE Master Roberto Alejandro Ramos. According to their ELO coefficients, above 2250 units, this trio starts as favorites to command the actions of the fight.
Collaterally, the Festival includes a series of initiatives to maintain the chess legacy in the province. Courses for referees and coaches, as well as a pilgrimage to the house where the idol Capablanca lived make up the itinerary
Carlos Rivero, president of the Cuban Chess Federation, also attended the city of rivers and bridges. Here he recognized the need to keep alive the legacy and tradition of the science game, and in the same way, the governor of the territory, Mario Sabines Lorenzo, shared with those present and highlighted the importance of chess for human development.
Chess in Matanzas has exalted exponents throughout history. Reinaldo Vera and José Luis Ramírez constitute some of these figures, still linked to the kingdom of Caissa. (ALH)
Translated by Casterman Medina de Leon