The Sunland Park Recreation Center recently hosted 57 chess players for the 64th annual El Paso Open, serving as a competitive hub for players from across the Southwest and Mexico. The two-day tournament highlighted the Paso del Norte region’s unique binational footprint and showcased a strong performance by young local competitors.
The event drew an international field, with several Mexican citizens and masters from Juárez and Chihuahua navigating the border crossings to compete. They joined players who traveled from regional hubs such as Carlsbad, Roswell, Socorro, Albuquerque, Phoenix, Houston, and Odessa.
Three of the four masters competing in the elite Open section held Mexican citizenship. Joshua Avila Rodriguez claimed the tournament championship title and the top $300 cash prize after a final-round draw against last year’s champion, Kenneth Damian Alba Ruiz.
While international masters controlled the top boards, the 34-player Reserve section became a showcase for youth success and multigenerational competition. Several young local players finished in the money, securing a five-way tie for second and third place prizes. Among the youth competitors taking home trophies and cash payouts were Angelina Hernandez, Pablo Molina Jr., and Jose Luis Jim Gonzalez, whose tournament rating surged from 538 to 976 as a result of his performance.
Ken Dial secured sole first place in the Reserve section with a perfect final score.
The event was organized jointly by Michael Alvarez and Ivan Artelejo of El Paso, alongside tournament directors Will Barela and Ron Farrar of New Mexico.
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