Havana.- Winning one match and losing the other left the Cuban team in 10th place in the Intellectual Chess Cup, which has only three rounds remaining in the Russian region of Novokuznetsk.
The team from the island started Thursday’s session with a 9.5-3.5 victory against the second local team but then suffered a 5.5-7.5 defeat against Tajikistan, completing 45.5 points in the standings currently led by Kazakhstan with 58.
Esteban David O’Farril, Alberto García, Daziel Pernas, Ángel González, and Mya Valdés maintained the distinction of being the highest-ranked team from the Americas in a tournament organized for juniors and schoolchildren, in which each match includes a simultaneous session and rapid game duels.
Belarus (55 points), Uzbekistan (53.5), Sri Lanka (48.5), and Kyrgyzstan (48) are the closest pursuers of the leaders, in a tournament complemented by training exchanges and other cultural activities to expand the knowledge of future champions.
In round seven, the Cubans will face the Paranginskaya School team, another representative of Russian regions currently in ninth place with 46 points.
A year ago, the island’s team ended the tournament with a bronze medal as a team and an individual gold for Felipe Herrera on the first board.
