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The Great Cuban Master Carlos Daniel Albornoz, currently the number one in chess on the island with an ELO of 2,577, has decided to part ways with the national team of Cuba, a decision that diminishes the quality of the team that will participate in the World Chess Olympiad, scheduled from September 4 to 17 in Uzbekistan.
The information was confirmed by the official newspaper Granma, citing statements from the head of the national technical committee, Wilfredo Toledo. According to the report, the player from Camagüey not only withdrew from the Olympic roster but also declined to participate in the upcoming tournaments, which start in less than two weeks, and formally requested his disengagement from the Cuba team. The communist outlet did not specify the reasons behind the chess player's decision.
Albornoz, a double national champion and a consistent figure on the podium of domestic championships, will turn 26 in September and was considered the main representative of Cuban chess following the departure of historical figures like Lenier Domínguez and Lázaro Bruzón, who continued their careers outside the control of the sports authorities in Havana.
The state newspaper acknowledged that the loss of the athlete from Camagüey represents "a tough blow" for the team that will participate in the Olympics, especially in a context where Cuba has been struggling with modest results in such events. In the previous edition, held in Budapest, Hungary, the Cuban teams finished in 46th place in the open tournament and 55th in the women's competition, far beyond the country's historical goals.
En el apartado masculino, Cuba incluso quedó por detrás de otras selecciones latinoamericanas como Brasil, Argentina y México, mientras Chile también superó al conjunto antillano. En contraste, Lenier Domínguez, ya representando a Estados Unidos, alcanzó el segundo lugar por equipos, solo superado por India, un hecho que evidenció el impacto de la fuga de talento en el ajedrez cubano.
With Albornoz's departure, the outlook heading into the Olympics becomes even more challenging. Among the players competing this year for the national title and a spot on the team, Jorge Elías (ELO 2,493) and Dylan Berdayes (2,464) stand out, being the champion and runner-up in 2025, respectively, according to Diario de Cuba.
Omar Almeida (2,463) and Elier Miranda (2,449) also return, having been absent in the previous edition, along with Lelys Martínez (2,441), Ermes Espinosa (2,461), and Michel Díaz (2,440), who are considered possible contenders for the podium.
So far, the men's National Championship will be held in Camagüey, while Pinar del Río will host the women's tournament.
The departure of Carlos Daniel Albornoz adds to a long list of losses of high-level athletes for the Cuban sports system, and highlights the structural decline of a chess program that, decades ago, was a world reference and today is facing one of the most complex moments in its history.
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