Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

If the Peruvian Chess Federation does not put its initial regulations back into effect, the country's top female chess players will not be able to take part in the 2008 World Chess Olympics to be held in Germany.

Complications began when the Peruvian Chess Federation announced that regulations had been changed and that female chess players could not automatically qualify to play in Germany but would have to take part in a qualifying match in La Oroya, a town outside of Lima in the Andes.

Despite the fact the Federation had officially announced last year that International Masters Luciana Morales (ELO 2189) and Deysi Cori (ELO 2280) would represent the country at the World Chess Tournament, it has stated that rules had been changed and they would have to attend the qualifying match in La Oroya.

According to Milton Iturry, the head of the Andean country's Chess Federation, female players can no longer automatically qualify for the World Tournament.

In an ambiguous explanation to El Comercio daily, Iturry stated that only Emilio Córdova and Julio Granda could automatically qualify because there was "a much bigger difference".

"In the case of the women, the level is much more even," said the head of the Federation.

Because Luciana Morales lives in Beijing with her mother, she has affirmed that she will not be able to attend the event in La Oroya, which Iturry has stated "is nearby, just three hours outside of Lima".

Morales has affirmed that changing regulations is a lack of respect on behalf of the Federation, stating she was the captain of the female team at the last Olympics and is one of Peru's three female International Masters.