Yerisbel Miranda

Havana, May 5 (JIT) - The triumph over the then leader, Chilean Javiera Gómez, took the Cuban Yerisbel Miranda to the top of the Women's Continental Chess Championship of the Americas 2025, which will have its seventh and eighth rounds today in the Mexican city of Oaxtepec.

The champion of the Island imposed her law after leading the black pieces in 37 moves of a Spanish opening. The duel was marked by several tactical blows, and its outcome was influenced by the power exercised with the rooks in the open column b, along with the greater dominance in the center of the board with queen and knight.

With this triumph, the player from Pinar del Río completed five points out of a possible six and by tiebreaker she occupies the first place, ahead of Candela Belén Francisco from Argentina and Yunshan Li from Canada, second and third in that order with similar accumulated points.

Candela, queen of the 2023 edition, will be Yerisbel's next rival, who will move the white pieces in a complex confrontation that could be decisive for her aspirations to win the tournament.

Thus, she would repeat what she did a week ago, when she led the sub-zonal 2.3.2 tournament in the Colombian city of Medellin, which was enough to secure her qualification to the Batumi 2025 Chess World Cup.

Another ticket for that event will be delivered this Tuesday, after the closing of the Aztec tournament, and among the aspirants is also Cuban Maritza Arribas, located only half a line behind the leaders.

The Santiago native will face in her next outing the Peruvian Maria Jose Campos. A perfect performance in the double round would put her in very good conditions to opt for the world championship quota.