Cuban chess player Carlos Daniel Albornoz returns today to compete in Portugal in search of increasing his virtual ELO of 2600 points.

The Antillean, who served on the second board of the Cuban national team in the recently concluded World Olympiad held in India, sees better prospects in this modality thanks to competitions of this type.

“From this day I participate in another tournament here in Portugal”, he said via WhatsApp waiting to see each other from September 1, among the men with more than 2600 ELO points, one of his great goals in his continuous career of rise in the Kingdom of Caissa.

He gave his opinion on the top elite tournament for teams between nations, which ended with the victory of Usbekistan in the men’s and the Ukraine team in the women’s.

“He did a great tournament in the Olympiad like the rest of the teammates. I only got really confused in the last game, it went wrong in the opening and I lost. I earned 10 ELO points. We finished in the top 2O and that was the goal”, he specified.

For the 2019 National Champion, the youngest to achieve it after he did it at the age of 13, José Raúl Capablanca, the previous preparation was crucial to iron out differences with aspects of the game, including time zones.

“In the men’s case, we arrived very well at the Olympiad. We were in Spain before and we played an open tournament and it gave us a very good feeling, he said.

“The environment of Europe acclimatizes you towards Asia, so things went well for all of us,” he said via WhatsApp.

After the Olympiad held in the city of Chennai, Albornoz was crowned in the open chess tournament in Mirandela, Portugal.

“It gave me a lot of strength and motivation to be in India, and by gaining 10 ELO points I stimulated myself even more. The only difficult thing was overcoming the last game in the Olympiad. It never leaves a good taste in your mouth to lose”, he expressed.

Competing continuously has allowed him to consolidate himself in the elite of Latin America, with titles in various regional tournaments.

“My game has matured a lot. I didn’t have the experience of playing so much in Europe. Despite the fact that the ELO was almost the same as in 2019, the pandemic that interrupted me a lot in terms of development had not arrived, and that experience has been key, ”he pointed out.

Humility and work define the career of Carlos Albornoz at 21 years of age, also backed by a resume that includes the title of University Pan American Champion, in addition to the Carlos Torres Repeto tournament in Mexico.

In the Olympiad, he said, we face players with more than 2,600, one fights hard and that raises the ego.

“After playing with them you face lower level players and you even feel more comfortable”, he concluded.

The last competitive trances have ensured 26.8 units to Albornoz’s ELO to overcome the barrier of 2600.

(With information from Prensa Latina)

Also attending the address, scheduled as part of the President’s official visit to Cuba, were students and professors from the institution of higher learning, and its rector, Gustavo Cobreiro Suárez.

Rebelo de Sousa commented that he and his delegation arrived in Cuba full of optimism, looking to reaffirm a relationship based on mutual respect, to the benefit and advantage of both.

“It is impossible to ignore the economic potential that exists in Latin American countries, developing with regional and sub-regional integration initiatives. Latin America is an area of expansion for Portuguese business,” he added, recalling that the first Portugal-Cuba business forum had recently taken place in Havana’s Hotel Nacional, with the objective of exploring areas of common economic interest.

Rebelo de Sousa likewise highlighted Cuba’s victory in the United Nations vote calling for an end to the U.S. blockade of Cuba.

Rector Gustavo Cobreiro, also spoke, describing the Portuguese President’s visit as an opportunity to strengthen ties between the two nations and emphasized the solidarity shown by the country’s government and people, citing the opening of the José Maria Eça De Queiroz Portuguese Language and Culture department at the University, during Rebelo de Sousa’s visit.

Later in the afternoon, the President concluded his visit, with Deputy Foreign Minister Rogelio Sierra accompanying him to José Martí International Airport.

Fidel and the Portuguese President discussed various topics on the international agenda, as well as the ties of friendship which unite the two countries: the backdrop against which the European leader’s visit to Cuba is taking place.

Rebelo de Sousa mentioned the results of the United Nations vote, held the same day, in favor of an end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba, highlighting that his country condemns this globally rejected extraterritorial policy.

Meanwhile, compañero Fidel thanked Rebelo de Sousa for the support his nation has shown Cuba, emphasizing that the people of the island will never forget the incalculable human and economic losses caused by the blockade. He also reiterated the brutal and inhumane character of the policy rejected by both the Cuban people and the world.

(Granma)

In a cordial atmosphere, the leaders discussed the good state of bilateral relations, which they agreed to expand, in addition to economic, trade, investment, and cooperation ties. They also addressed other issues on the international agenda.

The distinguished visitor was accompanied by the honorable Luis Faro, Portuguese ambassador to Cuba; Teresa Ribeiro, secretary of state for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation; as well as other official delegation members.

Participating on the Cuban side were Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, a Council of Ministers vice president and minister of Economy and Planning; Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, minister of Foreign Trade and Investment; as well as, Marcelino Medina González and Rogelio Sierra Díaz, interim and deputy ministers of Foreign Relations, respectively.

(Granma)