Eduardo Iturrizaga and Lazaro Bruzon qualify for the World Cup

18-26th June, 14 players, 9 rounds

Gran Hotel Costa Rica, in downtown San Jose, Costa Rica, was the stage of the Zonal 2.3 Chess Championships, a qualifying event for the World Chess Cup 2009. The tournament with 14 players from five countries in the region took place on 18-26th June.

Lazaro Bruzon from Cuba and Eduardo Iturrizaga from Venezuela shared the first place with 7.0 points each to book the tickets for Khanty Mansiysk. The third Grandmaster, Neuris Delgado, was left with 6.5 points and behind the line, in spite of winning against Iturrizaga.

"I am very happy that I managed to qualify for the next level in the World Championship, but I am also sad that Neuris Delgado won't be traveling with me. Next, I will make sure to be well prepared for the competition in Russia." - Lazaro Bruzon shared after the tournament.

Round 9 results:

IM Prasca Raphael VEN 2415 - GM Bruzon Batista Lazaro CUB 2617 ½-½
GM Iturrizaga Eduardo VEN 2528 - IM Valdes Leonardo CRC 2403 1-0
IM Gonzalez Bernal CRC 2440 - GM Delgado Ramirez Neuris CUB 2572 0-1
IM Arias Lemmys A. ESA 2406 - Ossa Orlando COL 2301 0-1
FM Echavarria Johann COL 2379 - FM Soto Paez Oliver VEN 2388 0-1
FM Sanchez Enriquez Oscar Ge MEX 2282 - IM Murillo Alexis CRC 2317 ½-½
IM Gongora Montes Benjamin MEX 2251 - IM Hernandez Basante Francis CRC 2278 0-1

Final standings:

1. GM Bruzon Batista Lazaro CUB 2617 - 7.0
2. GM Iturrizaga Eduardo VEN 2528 - 7.0
3. GM Delgado Ramirez Neuris CUB 2572 - 6.5
4. IM Arias Lemmys A. ESA 2406 - 5.0
5. IM Prasca Raphael VEN 2415 - 5.0
6. FM Soto Paez Oliver VEN 2388 - 5.0
7. IM Gonzalez Bernal CRC 2440 - 4.5
8. FM Echavarria Johann COL 2379 - 4.5
9. IM Valdes Leonardo CRC 2403 - 4.0
10. IM Murillo Alexis CRC 2317 - 3.5
11. FM Sanchez Enriquez Oscar MEX 2282 - 3.5
12. IM Gongora Montes Benjamin MEX 2251 - 3.0
13. IM Hernandez Basante Francis CRC 2278 - 3.0
14. Ossa Orlando COL 2301 - 1.5