♟️ About Escuela de Ajedrez de Quebradillas Ing. Cándido “Nenito” Molinari García

Escuela de Ajedrez de Quebradillas Ing. Cándido “Nenito” Molinari García is a community chess school and tournament organizer based in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico. Founded in 2021, the school was created to expand access to chess instruction and competitive play in the municipality and surrounding region. It works within Puerto Rico’s organized chess structure and cooperates closely with the Federación de Ajedrez de Puerto Rico (FAPR) and the Municipality of Quebradillas on major events.

The school provides free chess instruction and creates opportunities for children, juniors, and adults to progress from learning the game to participating in rated competition. Its activities combine community chess education with tournament participation and event organization. The school fields teams in major Puerto Rican competitions and has helped develop young players from the region, including Christian Y. González, who qualified for the 2025 Central American and Caribbean Youth Chess Festival in the U14 category.

Emmanuel J. Morales Butler is a co-founder of the school and its principal tournament organizer. He has played a central role in developing competitive chess in Quebradillas and serves as Tournament Director of the III Campeonato Abierto de Ajedrez por Equipos José Miguel Pérez Pérez – In Memoriam 2026. The upcoming FIDE-rated event will bring teams from across Puerto Rico and international participants to Quebradillas from November 6–8, 2026.

📜 Development and Community Chess

The Escuela de Ajedrez de Quebradillas emerged from a local chess movement that began gaining momentum through informal training and competitive activity in the municipality. Emmanuel Morales Butler became involved in serious competitive chess in 2016, receiving guidance from Prof. José Miguel Pérez Pérez and technical support from Ing. Cándido “Nenito” Molinari García.

In 2021, Morales Butler co-founded the chess school with a community-focused model based on free instruction. The initiative created a regular place for players from Quebradillas and the surrounding area to learn, practice, and prepare for competition. This approach has helped establish Quebradillas as an increasingly active center for Puerto Rican chess. The school works not only with established competitors but also with new and developing players, linking instruction with practical tournament experience.

🎓 Youth and Player Development

Youth chess is an important part of the school’s work. Training gives younger players a pathway from basic chess knowledge into organized competitions and national federation events. A notable example is Christian Y. González, a student associated with the Quebradillas program who qualified for the 2025 Central American and Caribbean Youth Chess Festival U14. His progress reflects the school’s emphasis on combining accessible instruction with competitive development.

The school also enters its own teams in rated events. In the 2025 team championship, Escuela Ajedrez de Quebradillas A and Escuela Ajedrez de Quebradillas B both competed, while a separate mixed Quebradillas team also participated.

🏆 Team Chess and Tournament Organization

Quebradillas has developed a distinctive role in Puerto Rican team chess. The school’s staff have repeatedly organized major team competitions with support from FAPR and the Municipality of Quebradillas. The inaugural Campeonato Abierto de Ajedrez por Equipos was held in Quebradillas in November 2024. Thirteen teams from around Puerto Rico participated, while the program also included visiting grandmasters and a presentation on the history of team chess in Puerto Rico.

The second edition followed from November 14–16, 2025. Around 20 teams appeared in the final Chess-Results standings, representing chess clubs, academies, universities, and associations from across Puerto Rico. Moca Chess Club won the tournament, while Escuela Ajedrez de Quebradillas fielded multiple teams. These competitions have combined serious FIDE-rated play with community activities, chess history, and locally produced awards. Their trophies include handcrafted chess pieces created by Quebradillas artist Jonathan Núñez Muñiz.

🌟 III Campeonato Abierto de Ajedrez por Equipos 2026

The school’s principal upcoming event is the III Campeonato Abierto de Ajedrez por Equipos José Miguel Pérez Pérez – In Memoriam 2026, scheduled for November 6–8, 2026 at Café Teatro San José in Quebradillas. Chess-Results officially lists Escuela de Ajedrez de Quebradillas Ing. Cándido “Nenito” Molinari García and FAPR as the organizers. Emmanuel J. Morales Butler is Tournament Director, FA and WFM Rinelly M. Comas Colón is Chief Arbiter, and NA Danay Pérez Pérez serves as Deputy Arbiter.

The championship will use a five-round Swiss system for teams, with four players on each team and up to two substitutes. The time control is 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move, and the tournament is registered for international FIDE rating. The current entry list includes more than 100 players and teams representing leading Puerto Rican clubs and academies. Players from Puerto Rico, the United States, France, and Colombia appear on the published starting list, while the school itself is represented by multiple Quebradillas teams.

🤝 Cooperation with Puerto Rican Chess

The school works closely with the Federación de Ajedrez de Puerto Rico, which provides the official national federation framework for its rated competitions. The Municipality of Quebradillas is another important partner in hosting the annual team championship. This cooperation allows the school to combine local chess development with events that attract established players, titled competitors, universities, clubs, and junior teams from throughout Puerto Rico.

Through its educational activity and tournament organization, Escuela de Ajedrez de Quebradillas has developed from a local teaching initiative into an active part of Puerto Rico’s competitive chess community.