Great performance by Club Escacs Lloret at the Manolo Martín Memorial in Malgrat

On August 15, the Manolo Martín Memorial Chess Tournament was held in Malgrat de Mar, one of the summer's highlights in the area's chess calendar. The tournament brought together a total of 61 players, who played 7 rounds.

The Club Escacs Lloret was represented by three players: Erik Juez, Biel Castellanos, and Bastian Suazo, who performed remarkably well in a competition with a significant presence of players from various clubs in the region.

Erik Juez, tournament champion

The great news for Club Escacs Lloret was the victory of Erik Juez, who was crowned champion of the Manolo Martín Memorial with 6 points out of 7 possible.

Erik, who started with the number 3 seed, played a very solid tournament, sharing the 6 points with Gabriel Ruiz and Antoni Serrate. Ultimately, the tie-breaks crowned Erik at the top of the standings.

The victory is even more impressive considering that players with an Elo rating higher than 2,200 points, such as Pere Garriga (2253) and Candidate Master Josep Guevara (2236), finished behind him.

With this result, Erik confirms his good form and achieves another victory in an open tournament, once again demonstrating his competitive level.

Biel Castellanos, brilliant 4th place

Special mention must also be made of the performance of Biel Castellanos, who finished in a magnificent 4th position, with 5.5 points out of 7.

Biel started with the number 16 seed and an Elo rating of 1743, but he managed to far exceed initial expectations and place among the top finishers in the tournament.

With five wins, one draw, and only one loss, Biel completed an excellent tournament, finishing just half a point behind the champion. His result is especially noteworthy given the Elo rating difference compared to some of his rivals.

Bastian Suazo, also at the front

The young representative of Club Escacs Lloret, Bastian Suazo, also completed a good performance.

Bastian finished in 21st position, with 4 points out of 7, and was also the best player in the U-14 category.

Starting with the number 27 seed and an Elo rating of 1519, he managed to climb six positions from his starting rank.

A result that allows him to continue gaining experience in open tournaments and compete against players with a wide variety of levels.

From Club Escacs Lloret we would like to congratulate Erik, Biel and Bastian for their participation and for the good results achieved in the Manolo Martín Memorial.

Congratulations and keep it up! ♟️