GM Daniil Yuffa and IM Sabrina Vega have emerged as the new Spanish chess champions.
The Spanish Chess Championship 2024, a 9-round Swiss tournament with classical time control, took place in Marbella, Spain from December 11-19. While men and women competed in the same pool, they were ranked separately.
The event attracted some of the best Spanish players, including six grandmasters rated over 2600, and turned into a fiercely contested competition. Third-seeded Daniil Yuffa secured crucial victories in Rounds 7 and 8 against IM Diego Macias Pino and Alexei Shirov, heading into the final round with a comfortable 1-point lead over five rivals tied for second place.
Despite his advantage, the leader faced a tough challenge in the final round, playing with the black pieces against top-seeded GM David Antón Guijarro. Daniil rose to the occasion, managing to escape with a draw in a difficult position and clinching his maiden national title.
GMs Maksim Chigaev and Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli secured final round victories and tied for second place, with the former taking silver due to a superior Buchholz.
In the women’s rankings, IM Sabrina Vega Gutiérrez scored 6.5/9 to claim her ninth national title as the best female player. IM Marta García Martín took second place, while Miranda Herrera Belén earned bronze.
IM Diego Macías Pino finished ninth and won the Best U18 Award.
Photos: Patricia Claros Aguilar
Official website: feda.org/feda2k16/
