Deise Pereira has retained her title as Cape Verde’s Women’s National Chess Champion, winning the 2026 edition of the National Championship held in the city of Mindelo from July 2 to 5.
The champion mathematically secured the victory in the penultimate round by defeating three-time national champion Célia Rodriguez Guevara, who won the 2022, 2023, and 2024 editions. Célia, who was unable to defend her title in 2025, ultimately fell short in her attempt to reclaim the national crown.
Deise Pereira delivered an excellent performance throughout the competition, finishing undefeated with a record of six wins and one draw, which was conceded only in the final round. With this performance, she totaled 6.5 out of a possible 7 points, confirming her supremacy in national women’s chess.
Célia Rodriguez Guevara finished as runner-up with 6 points, while the third place on the podium went to newcomer Crisele Neves, who put up a strong showing earning 4 points.
One of the most notable aspects of this edition was the strong presence of the new generation of Cabo Verdean women’s chess. Of the eight participants in the tournament, only the top two finishers were outside of the youth age bracket, while the remaining six players were between 13 and 16 years old – a promising indicator for the future of the sport in the country.
With this victory, Deise Pereira reinforces her status as one of the leading figures in Cabo Verdean women’s chess, in a tournament marked by high competitiveness and the emergence of young talent.
Text and photos: Federação Cabo-verdiana de Xadrez