The young wonder who breaks Argentine chess records: at 16 she is American champion, number 1 in the country and grandmaster

Boys and girls need no extra pressure. The best thing is to provide them with various tools so that at some point they get curious and take them until they own them. TO Candle Bethlehem Francisco Guecamburu As a child they left her a simple table of chess in the Christmas tree. “My first word was: ‘Interesting‘. But I didn’t pay much attention to the game and it was left around for a couple of years,” he said clarion in 2020. But the bug was a bit tough. Wow he stung. Because this Friday, May 12, At the age of 16 he enters the history of Argentine chess.

In the continental held in Havana, Cuba, Argentine was established undefeated American championqualified for the World Cup in Baku, became the number 1 in the country and it became the third great female teacher in national historyAfter Claudia Amura AND Caroline Lujan.

“I knew someone would break my records”, Amura is happy in San Luis at the reporter’s call. The Argentine chess madrassa and now candidate for mayor of Merlo is overflowing with happiness for this historic achievement.

“Candela, as the name indicates, is light. I’ve known her since she was very young and her talent is innate. a gift from god – he affirms with vehemence and emotion-. It made me feel a little sad that I wouldn’t have a chance to become a grandmaster as fast as possible. Because I always tell students that the goal is not a pan-American for minors but the titles. Now all her legs were united – the leadership, her parents and those who invited her to Cuba – and she was given the main goal: be a great teacher”.

Luján also reacted with joy: “It makes me very happy that he won the title and especially in the Continental, which is a super strong tournament. She is a very talented girl with a lot of projection. You can go a long way if you keep training hard. It’s essential that he gets support for that, so it doesn’t cost him double.”

Candela is yet another prodigy of the new generation of phenomenal kids who never cease to amaze in front of the tables, like golden faustin -best Sub 10 in the world-, Ilan Schnaider (12, former number one at age 8) and the brothers Joachim (15, brand new international master) e Francesco Fiorito (12).

As a girl, when her first teacher told her she could do better, her grandfather saw in the newspaper that there was chess in a Pilar club. That’s how he got to the Villaguay National Sub 10 at the age of 9. “I realized I didn’t know how to play with the black pieces,” she recounted three years ago with a laugh when clarion he spoke to her after her big performance at the Olympics on line in the midst of a pandemic

De Pilar continued to take lessons at Chess Club of Villa Martelli, cradle of masters where high-yield soon entered. The rest is history: National, South American and Pan American multiple champion in various categories from Sub 12 to Sub 20, even with an age advantage. Today he takes lessons with the great teachers Diego Valerga, Sergio Slipak, Andrés Rodríguez and Robert Hungaski, and with the international teachers Martín Bitelmajer and Sebastián Iermito.

-Do you feel that chess gives you lessons that you can apply in your daily life?

-It helps me in life’s situations, because if on the blackboard you have to think and always be attentive, in life it’s the same, because you can’t be distracted. But I enjoy playing.

Who didn’t have so much fun was his rival at the Continental in Havana, where Candela celebrated undefeated with 7 points in 9 rounds, after drawing with the black pieces against the Peruvian international master Anna Chumpitazone of her five half-unit escorts.

The performance of the newest star player is exceptional where it is analyzed. She was seeded fourth with 2,286 ELO points and finished first. In mid-tournament she became the third overall FIDE master in the history of national chess by exceeding 2,300 virtual points. Your performance he pushed her up 66 points up to 2,352 and thus not only surpassed Luján (2,288) as number one in the country, but also ranks 41st among Argentines, not counting gender, and sixth among all American chess players. And the dessert: great female teacher at 16!.

En route to the American title, Argentina defeated her compatriot Maisa Nejansky in black, Cuban Karen Gutiérrez Espinosa in white, Cuban Ineymig Hernández Gil in black, and Chilean Javiera Gómez Barrera in white. Both draws were against great Cuban teacher Yerisbel Miranda Llanes and her compatriot IM Lisandra Ordaz Valdés, the second favourite.

then it was his turn the expected duel: Black against the Peruvian grandmaster Deysi Cori Tello (2362 and best candidate). And it was a victory for Candela against the former Under 20 world champion. The title was sealed with the white tables against the great Cuban teacher Yaniela Forgas Moreno and those mentioned against the Peruvian Chumpitaz.

“Going to Cuba was a very big challenge, because the frustration of giving everything in Zonal and not being able to qualify for the World Cup in Baku must not be discouraged,” says Amura, in relation to the tournament for which he qualified tiebreak a Maria José CamposWhile Pablo Costa he also earned a spot to compete in the men’s pageant in Azerbaijan’s capital in July.

Luján says: “Candela is too young to predict her future, but she is very talented, she trains, prepares, studies, she likes what she does. You can tell he is passionate about playing chess and that is importantAnd he leaves a reflection that mixes empathy and wisdom: “Perhaps someone could think that he will replace me, by chance. Yes, it makes sense for this to happen and it should have happened much sooner. It makes me very happy for candles and as a female chess player”.

Amura doesn’t stay in the present, because she knows what can happen in the future. And warns: “I am thrilled to see her achieve her dreams. Candela must think about being a world champion for adults, not for children. She now she has to be in the top 10 in the world and then she will start another story. I have no doubt that if you go down the road with lofty goals in mind, Candela will be world champion”.