Cubans without medals in women continental chess competition

HAVANA, Cuba, May 7 (ACN) Fourth place for Yerisbel Miranda and eighth for Maritza Arribas were the final placings for the Cubans in a Women's Continental Chess Championship of the Americas 2025, which closed on Tuesday in the Mexican city of Oaxtepec with the coronation of Argentina's Candela Belen Francisco.

The Caribbean women came with options to climb the podium of the regional competition, but both gave in their duels and this caused them to be on six points, 1.5 points behind the leader and the Ecuadorian Anahi Ortiz, who took second place by lower tiebreaker.

Yerisbel, who also finished fourth in the previous edition, played white pieces against Ortiz and succumbed after 64 moves of a Ninzo-Indian defense.

Shortly before Candela Belen -with better numbers in the tiebreaker system- had achieved victory at the expense of the Cuban Maritza, in what could be considered as a generational battle.

The Caribbean player moved the white pieces until surrendering in only 37 moves of a Spanish opening, moment in which all her options to get the only ticket to the World Chess Cup of Batumi 2025 vanished.

Despite her eighth place in the ranking, it is remarkable the performance of the experienced Maritza, who conceded her only setback in the closing against one of the most talented players in America today, who is not even 19 years old and reigns in the 2023 edition.

Yerisbel's performance was also praiseworthy, enrolled in two demanding new round tournaments each in less than three weeks, which implies a considerable highlight.

The continental podium was now completed by Chile's Javiera Gomez, supported by the closing victory over Ecuador's Kerly Jaramillo, which left her with a harvest of 6.5 units.