ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024
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During the Pan American Championships last year in Paraguay we met a lot of nice people and one of them invited us to come to the next edition in El Salvador. Alvaro tempted us with a lot of things. I am sure Ashritha liked the idea of a WIM title and WGM norm. I, on the other had was thinking about the amazing seafood and the coffee in El Salvador...
Jokes aside, on 13. July we flew to El Salvador, where the capital city San Salvador was hosting the Pan American championships for boys and girls U20. The tournament began on 16. July and thus we had some time to fill holes in Ashritha’s opening repertoire and to do a little bit of tourism.
The archeological site Joya de Cerén (also known as Pompeii de Americas) was first on our list. Centuries ago a volcano buried this ancient Maya village in ashes, thus preserving it for centuries to come. It is the only place in the world where organic materials had been preserved for centuries.
Joya de Cerén
The site was discovered by chance in 1976 when a bulldozer bumped into it. Excavation started soon after. A painful civil war interrupted the archeological work which was taken up again in 1988. In 1993 Joya de Ceren was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is unique because the village was inhabited by ordinary people, not the elite member of the Mayas. So far about seventy buildings have been uncovered, including storehouses, kitchens and communal sauna.
A view...
... into...
... the past.
Did you ever wonder why corn was the holy plant for the Mayas? Well, they were making alcohol out of it and felt alcohol brought them closer to the Gods.
On the way back from Joya de Ceren we visited the archeological site of San Andres and saw the pyramids, the indigo trees, and the lava fields.
El Salvador is full of beautiful plants.
The free days passed quickly and on 16. July the tournament began. 24 girls from eleven countries took part in the girls event and almost twice that much competed in the boys section.
The playing hall
After the successful US-Championship at the end of June Ashritha started the event as rating favorite. I was a bit worried about her new status as I feel it is psychologically easier not having to defend the top spot.
The tournament, however, turned out to be quite a success. After winning in round one, Ashritha played badly in game two, but survived. She then won four games in a row and emerged as clear leader.
Practically, she could have secured victory two rounds before the end of the tournament had she not blown her enormous advantage against Danitza Maccarini Vazquez in round seven. But Ashritha got infected by her opponent’s time trouble, played too fast and spoiled her position. But in the last two rounds Ashritha scored 1.5/2 and still won the title.
Ashritha and Danitza
Danitza Maccarini Vazquez
Danitza Maccarini Vazquez made 7.0/9 and deservedly won silver. The bronze medal went to Miriam Parkhurst from Mexico.
The winners
| Rk. | Name | FED | Rtg | Pts. | ||
| 1 |
|
Eswaran Ashritha | USA | 2095 | 7.5 | |
| 2 |
|
WIM | Vazquez Maccarini Danitza | PUR | 1948 | 7.0 |
| 3 |
|
WFM | Parkhurst Casas Miriam | MEX | 1869 | 6.0 |
| 4 |
|
Librelato Kathie Goulart | BRA | 1842 | 6.0 | |
| 5 |
|
WFM | Gutierrez Espinosa Karen | CUB | 2078 | 5.5 |
| 6 |
|
WIM | Granados Diaz Maria Esther | NCA | 1838 | 5.5 |
| 7 |
|
Herrera Marjorie | ESA | 1555 | 5.5 | |
| 8 |
|
WIM | Jorquera Cabello Valentina | CHI | 2005 | 5.0 |
| 9 |
|
WCM | Garcia Alcira | ESA | 1725 | 5.0 |
| 10 |
|
WCM | De Leon Stephanie | ESA | 1654 | 5.0 |
| 11 |
|
WCM | Ortez Andrea | ESA | 1671 | 5.0 |
| 12 |
|
Cosme Contreras Trilce | PER | 1755 | 4.5 | |
| 13 |
|
Ramirez Gonzalez Maria Jose | CRC | 1736 | 4.5 | |
| 14 |
|
Castro Venus Sabrina | ESA | 1556 | 4.5 | |
| 15 |
|
Cruz Lima Kimberly Esmeralda | GUA | 1718 | 4.0 | |
| 16 |
|
Guardado Flores Diana Beatriz | ESA | 1683 | 4.0 | |
| 17 |
|
Natareno Elvia | GUA | 1675 | 4.0 | |
| 18 |
|
Palacios Celina | ESA | 1617 | 4.0 | |
| 19 |
|
Santos Judith | ESA | 1550 | 4.0 | |
| 20 |
|
Villalobos Alejandra | ESA | 1622 | 3.5 | |
| 21 |
|
Garcia Angie | ESA | 0 | 3.0 | |
| 22 |
|
Canas Belen Alexandra | ESA | 0 | 2.0 | |
| 23 |
|
Palencia Berenice | ESA | 0 | 2.0 | |
| 24 |
|
Martinez Hazel Rebeca | ESA | 0 | 1.0 |
Source: chess-results.com
In the boys' section two young gentlemen dominated the field but in the end Kevin Cori Quispe had a better tie-break than Andrew Tang of the USA and won gold for Peru. Thanks to Brian Sebas Escalante the bronze medal also went to Peru.
| Rk. | Name | FED | Rtg | Pts. | |
| 1 | Cori Quispe Kevin | PER | 2369 | 7.5 | |
| 2 | IM | Tang Andrew | USA | 2365 | 7.5 |
| 3 | Escalante Ramirez Brian Sebas | PER | 2389 | 6.5 | |
| 4 | Solano Cuya Bryan | CRC | 2149 | 6.5 | |
| 5 | FM | Arias Daniel | ESA | 2242 | 6.0 |
| 6 | FM | Lopez Gonzalez Abel Fabian | CUB | 2251 | 5.5 |
| 7 | Chavez Estevez Hayler David | CUB | 2347 | 5.5 | |
| 8 | Benedetti Julio | ARG | 2313 | 5.5 | |
| 9 | Puppi Lazo Jorge Luis | PER | 2111 | 5.5 | |
| 10 | IM | Hernandez Sanchez Jairo Andre | COL | 2381 | 5.5 |
| 11 | Carrera Gonzalez Enmanuel | CUB | 2171 | 5.5 | |
| 12 | FM | Ampie Mauro | NCA | 2193 | 5.5 |
| 13 | IM | Singh Vishnu | TTO | 2200 | 5.5 |
| 14 | Santiago Vilca Christian | PER | 1922 | 5.5 | |
| 15 | CM | Giron Jorge Ernesto | ESA | 2223 | 5.5 |
| 16 | FM | Jimenez Garcia Emmanuel | CRC | 2210 | 5.0 |
| 17 | Squella Lavin Carlos Felipe | CHI | 2183 | 5.0 | |
| Lopez Raygoza Luis Albert | MEX | 2138 | 5.0 | ||
| 19 | Colorado Efrain | ESA | 1841 | 5.0 | |
| 20 | FM | Husbands Orlando | BAR | 2234 | 5.0 |
| 21 | Mendez Alan Steven | ESA | 1744 | 5.0 | |
| 22 | Ulloa Ruben Guillermo | PAN | 2016 | 5.0 | |
| 23 | FM | Johnson Joshua | TTO | 2211 | 4.5 |
| 24 | Hernandez Mauricio Daniel | ESA | 1926 | 4.5 | |
| 25 | Ruballo Jose | ESA | 1662 | 4.5 |
...46 participants
Source: chess-results.com
Ashritha’s last three tournaments were a real success for us. She first won the USA G20 title, then shared 1. place at the Pan Am G18 in Colombia, and now became clear first at the Pan Am in El Salvador becoming a WIM and making a WGM norm on the way.
After these tournaments Ashritha's FIDE rating is close to the 2200 mark and we do not intend to stop. But we know we need to work harder if we want to succeed.
Last, but not least: the coffee was indeed fantastic, and the sea-food...I am not sure if there is an appropriate word to describe it.
