The Dominican Chess Association dedicated its first 2021 tournament held on Sunday with the sponsorship of the Consulate General to the vice-consul and promoter of the sport, Yulín Mateo, who highlighted the great contributions made to the development and competitiveness of players and leaders who are active both in the United States and in the Dominican Republic.
Mateo, who is also an emblematic leader of the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), received a transparent plaque from José Villar who presides the association and was the organizer of the competition.
The vice-consul, who is a native of San Cristobal (in the South of the Dominican Republic), is one of the most recognized promoters in that city to promote and support chess.
The tournament took place between 10:30 in the morning and 6:00 in the afternoon.
The winners of the competition were Odafe Efermuai and Vicent Umayan, tied winners of the first place who were awarded $800 dollars each, in the third position tied the Dominicans Kenny Fernandez and the national chess master Jose Manuel Dominguez receiving $400 dollars each.
Colombian master Henry Contreras tied with Kenny Fernandez also receiving $400 dollars.
In sixth and seventh place were José Natanael Castillo and Juan Tica receiving $150 dollars each.
The U-2100 category was won by Ecuadorian William del Castillo with a prize of $500 dollars while teenage player Nura Baalla was chosen as the best with a prize of $200 dollars.
The former PRM sectional president, Luis Emilio Ducasse, represented Consul Eligio Jáquez, Rafael Neftalí Fuerte, advisor to the Executive Branch for the Diaspora and current president of the PRM and Vice Consul Dolores Isaura Nivar made the move of honor to kick off the tournament.
While acknowledging the plaque, Mateo asked the Ministry of Education to include in the school curriculum the teaching of the sport of chess for children, since technology does not allow them to think and develop their minds and this allows them to become machines.
Among the guests at the tournament were the leaders of the Dominican Chess Association of New York, Pedro Perdomo, Fermín Arias, Alex Báez, Lisandro Gerardo and William del Castillo, the journalist Erasmo Chalas Tejeda, press director of the Consulate France Vargas, Tomás Veras, deputy commissioner of culture and Mrs. Altagracia Soldevilla, who acted as master of ceremonies.
The information was sent by the Press Office of the Consulate, directed by journalist Erasmo Chalas Tejeda.
