Three Cuban chess players are currently participating in the XV Pan American Youth Chess Championship (U7-U17) for Absolute and Female categories. The event is scheduled to run until May 18 in Sonsonate, El Salvador.

The Cuban delegation is composed of Daziel Pernas Cejas from Havana, registered in the U-11 category; Javier Ernesto Paz Riverón from Camagüey, competing in the U-9 division; and Ronald Manuel Espinosa Castañeda from Santiago de Cuba, participating in the U-15 section.

Espinosa Castañeda, who holds an Elo rating of 2087 points, enters the competition as the fourth-highest seed in a division that will bring together 57 players from 24 nations.

The championship is organized by the Chess Confederation of the Americas in conjunction with the Salvadoran Chess Federation, under the endorsement of the International Chess Federation (FIDE).

The competition is expected to be one of the most highly attended and technically demanding events on the FIDE continental calendar. According to preliminary official reports, organizers expect the participation of approximately 390 players representing roughly 42 countries. Notable participating nations include the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Chile, Canada, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Nicaragua.

The tournament covers categories ranging from U-7 to U-17 in both Absolute and Female divisions, effectively resulting in the simultaneous execution of 12 independent continental championships.

The primary format is classical chess, featuring a time control of 90 minutes with a 30-second increment per move. The official program also includes rapid and blitz events, which are valid for their respective rankings. The rapid format utilizes a time control of 10 minutes plus a 5-second increment, while the blitz competition consists of 3 minutes plus a 2-second increment.

The tournament will be conducted using the Swiss System over nine rounds, or a Round Robin format in any category with ten participants or fewer.