At
the Dominican Republic
Open Tournament, ended today, with nine players tied for first (7.5/10):
Vadim Milov, Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu, Alexander Moiseenko, Petr Kiriakov, Neuris
Delgado, Daniel Campora, Alejandro Ramirez, Dennis De Vreugt, Bartosz Socko.
The most interesting player was 15-year-old Alejandro Ramirez, who completed
his third and final GM norm. Together with the norm Alejandro also obtained
the necessary rating points to exceed the 2500 required for being awarded the
title..

Alejandro Ramirez, who also qualified for the World Championship during the
zonal 2.3 Tournament, obtained his norm by defeating GM Igor Khenkin from Germany
and GM Alexander Moiseenko from Russia. During the past Continental Tournament
in Argentina, Alejandro also defeated GM Alexander Shabalov, and he drew with
GM Alexander Morozevich during the last Olympiad.
The
new GM Ramirez is being sponsored by GBM of Costa Rica, which is an IBM Alliance
Company. It has already supported all the travel expenses for Alejandro and
his father. Ramirez has become the first Grand Master ever in Central America,
the youngest now in America and the second youngest now in the world (after
GM Sergei Karjakin).
Links
Info from Marjorie Alvarez
Costa Rican FIDE Delegate