The 3rd Cape Verde Junior Chess Championship took place this past weekend at the Académico do Aeroporto do Sal Academy, featuring competitions in both the Open and Girls categories.
The event was an important step in preparing for the African Junior Chess Championship, which Cape Verde will proudly host from September 17–25 in Cidade Velha, Santiago Island, bringing together the best young talents from across the continent.
In the Open tournament, 12 players from São Vicente, Sal, São Nicolau, and Santo Antão competed. Márcio Pires (Santo Antão) emerged as the 2025 National Junior Open Champion, with David Spínola (Sal) finishing as runner-up and Pedro Pires (Santo Antão) taking third place.
The Girls competition brought together 9 players representing São Vicente, Sal, Santiago, and São Nicolau. The podium was dominated by athletes from Sal Viviane Moreno claimed the National Junior Girls Champion title, followed by Akiane Moreno as runner-up and Katlene Martins in third place.
The top three finishers in both categories secured qualification to represent Cape Verde at the African Junior Championship in September.
The championship was attended by Jordan Gomes, IDJ Delegate for Sal and Boa Vista, and was organized by the Cape Verde Chess Federation in partnership with the Sal Chess Association and the Sal Municipal Council, as part of the Municipality’s festival celebrations.
