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Escuela de Ajedrez Los Orientales

Born in 2012 among young basketball players, this Nueva Helvecia school turned tournament play into a teaching tool and a meeting point for families and local institutions.

From a basketball gym to a chess school

The project began in 2012, when Gustavo Rivas placed chessboards in the stands of Club Atlético Plaza's gym and taught the same students who came there to play basketball. That first group developed into Escuela de Ajedrez Los Orientales.

Lucía Malán joined in 2013 as the school's first female student. Five years later she played for Uruguay at the Batumi Olympiad, and in 2019 she won the Uruguayan Women's Championship at 16; her path put the Los Orientales name into international competition before the school reached its first decade.

When the school celebrated ten years in 2022, it was operating at Escuela del Hogar and ran an anniversary tournament divided by playing level rather than age. That format allowed beginners, children and more experienced players to share one event without forcing them into age groups.

Learning inside the tournament room

A 2023 internal event brought together 33 students in three sections at Escuela del Hogar. In 2025, the Spring Championship included children who were just starting and used the playing hall itself to teach them how a competition works.

The 2025 return also revealed the community structure behind the project. After a pause, parents, children and Escuela del Hogar asked for chess to resume, and support from the Colonia departmental government and Hotel del Prado made another tournament possible.

A youth gathering point for Nueva Helvecia

In 2022, Los Orientales and the Uruguayan Chess Federation organized the National Youth Festival in Nueva Helvecia. More than 100 children and teenagers took part, and the federation specifically recognized the work of parents in delivering the event.

The city hosted another national event in 2023, when Club y Escuela de Ajedrez Los Orientales organized the Uruguayan Open and Women's Under 20 Championships. Emma Costabel then won the national girls' under 16 title in 2024 and the under 18 title in 2026, earning a place in Uruguay's youth Pan-American delegation.

The local network behind the school

In June 2026, Los Orientales and Escuela del Hogar closed a youth Apertura Championship with a joint awards ceremony after five Tuesdays of play at Hotel del Prado. The episode brings together two features visible at different stages of the school: local tournaments that introduce beginners to the playing hall and participation in national championships on a larger scale.

Sources

  1. 1.Ajedrecista uruguaya de Nueva Helvecia a las Olimpíadas de Rusia, UyPress / Sputnik
  2. 2.Ajedrez y Leyendas (Chess & Legends / Legendary Chess), FIDE](https://www.uypress.net/Deportes/Ajedrecista-uruguaya-de-Nueva-Helvecia-a-las-Olimpiadas-de-Rusia-uc96425%22,%22language%22:%22es-UY%22,%22accessedAt%22:%222026-08-18%22,%22sourceType%22:%22reputable_press%22,%22supports%22:[%22history%22,%22community%22,%22competition%22,%22distinctive_feature%22,%22identity%22,%22location%22]},{%22sourceId%22:%22lo-s2%22,%22publisher%22:%22FIDE) Chess in Education Commission
  3. 3.Los](https://eduarchive.fide.com/ajedrez-y-leyendas-chess-legends-legendary-chess/%22,%22language%22:%22en%22,%22accessedAt%22:%222026-08-18%22,%22sourceType%22:%22fide_or_results%22,%22supports%22:[%22competition%22,%22distinctive_feature%22]},{%22sourceId%22:%22lo-s3%22,%22publisher%22:%22Helvecia%22,%22title%22:%22Los) Orientales festejan sus primeros 10 años de vida a puro ajedrez, Helvecia
  4. 4.Comunicado 11/2022: Festival Nacional de Ajedrez de la Juventud, Federación](https://helvecia.com.uy/2022/09/06/los-orientales-festejan-sus-primeros-10-anos-de-vida-a-puro-ajedrez/%22,%22language%22:%22es-UY%22,%22accessedAt%22:%222026-08-18%22,%22sourceType%22:%22reputable_press%22,%22supports%22:[%22identity%22,%22history%22,%22community%22,%22distinctive_feature%22,%22location%22]},{%22sourceId%22:%22lo-s4%22,%22publisher%22:%22Federación) Uruguaya de Ajedrez
  5. 5.Finalizó el Festival Nacional de la Juventud en Nueva Helvecia, Federación](https://fuajedrez.org/718-2/%22,%22language%22:%22es-UY%22,%22accessedAt%22:%222026-08-18%22,%22sourceType%22:%22federation%22,%22supports%22:[%22identity%22,%22activity%22,%22location%22,%22competition%22]},{%22sourceId%22:%22lo-s5%22,%22publisher%22:%22Federación) Uruguaya de Ajedrez
Show 11 more sources
  1. 6.Bases del Campeonato Uruguayo Sub 20 Absoluto y Femenino. Nueva Helvecia, 20 al 22 de mayo de 2023, Federación](https://fuajedrez.org/finalizo-el-festival-nacional-de-la-juventud-en-nueva-helvecia/%22,%22language%22:%22es-UY%22,%22accessedAt%22:%222026-08-18%22,%22sourceType%22:%22federation%22,%22supports%22:[%22identity%22,%22activity%22,%22location%22,%22competition%22,%22community%22]},{%22sourceId%22:%22lo-s6%22,%22publisher%22:%22Federación) Uruguaya de Ajedrez
  2. 7.Ajedrez](https://fuajedrez.org/bases-del-campeonato-uruguayo-sub-20-absoluto-y-femenino-nueva-helvecia-20-al-22-de-mayo-de-2023/%22,%22language%22:%22es-UY%22,%22accessedAt%22:%222026-08-18%22,%22sourceType%22:%22federation%22,%22supports%22:[%22identity%22,%22activity%22,%22location%22,%22competition%22]},{%22sourceId%22:%22lo-s7%22,%22publisher%22:%22Helvecia%22,%22title%22:%22Ajedrez): Comenzó el Torneo Interno de Los Orientales, Helvecia
  3. 8.Memoria FUA 2024, Federación](https://helvecia.com.uy/2023/08/14/ajedrez-comenzo-el-torneo-interno-de-los-orientales/%22,%22language%22:%22es-UY%22,%22accessedAt%22:%222026-08-18%22,%22sourceType%22:%22reputable_press%22,%22supports%22:[%22identity%22,%22activity%22,%22community%22,%22distinctive_feature%22,%22location%22]},{%22sourceId%22:%22lo-s8%22,%22publisher%22:%22Federación) Uruguaya de Ajedrez
  4. 9.Ajedrez](https://fuajedrez.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/MEMORIAFUA2024.pdf%22,%22language%22:%22es-UY%22,%22accessedAt%22:%222026-08-18%22,%22sourceType%22:%22federation%22,%22supports%22:[%22competition%22]},{%22sourceId%22:%22lo-s9%22,%22publisher%22:%22Helvecia%22,%22title%22:%22Ajedrez): Excelente participación de la Escuela Los Orientales en Montevideo, Helvecia
  5. 10.Ajedrez](https://helvecia.com.uy/2024/04/22/ajedrez-excelente-participacion-de-la-escuela-los-orientales-en-montevideo/%22,%22language%22:%22es-UY%22,%22accessedAt%22:%222026-08-18%22,%22sourceType%22:%22reputable_press%22,%22supports%22:[%22identity%22,%22competition%22,%22distinctive_feature%22]},{%22sourceId%22:%22lo-s10%22,%22publisher%22:%22Helvecia%22,%22title%22:%22Ajedrez). Comenzó el Campeonato Primavera de la Escuelita Los Orientales de Nueva Helvecia, Helvecia
  6. 11.Escuela](https://helvecia.com.uy/2025/10/15/ajedrez-comenzo-el-campeonato-primavera-de-la-escuelita-los-orientales-de-nueva-helvecia/%22,%22language%22:%22es-UY%22,%22accessedAt%22:%222026-08-18%22,%22sourceType%22:%22reputable_press%22,%22supports%22:[%22identity%22,%22activity%22,%22location%22,%22community%22,%22distinctive_feature%22]},{%22sourceId%22:%22lo-s11%22,%22publisher%22:%22Helvecia%22,%22title%22:%22Escuela) de Ajedrez Los Orientales y Escuela del Hogar entregaron premios de campeonato de Ajedrez, Helvecia
  7. 12.Emma](https://helvecia.com.uy/2026/06/19/escuela-de-ajedrez-los-orientales-y-escuela-del-hogar-entregaron-premios-de-campeonato-de-ajedrez/%22,%22language%22:%22es-UY%22,%22accessedAt%22:%222026-08-18%22,%22sourceType%22:%22reputable_press%22,%22supports%22:[%22identity%22,%22activity%22,%22location%22,%22community%22,%22distinctive_feature%22]},{%22sourceId%22:%22lo-s12%22,%22publisher%22:%22Helvecia%22,%22title%22:%22Emma) Costabel representará a Uruguay en el XXXVI Festival Panamericano de Ajedrez de la Juventud en Medellín, Helvecia
  8. 13.Matías](https://helvecia.com.uy/2026/07/22/emma-costabel-representara-a-uruguay-en-el-xxxvi-festival-panamericano-de-ajedrez-de-la-juventud-en-medellin/%22,%22language%22:%22es-UY%22,%22accessedAt%22:%222026-08-18%22,%22sourceType%22:%22reputable_press%22,%22supports%22:[%22identity%22,%22competition%22,%22distinctive_feature%22,%22location%22]},{%22sourceId%22:%22lo-s13%22,%22publisher%22:%22Helvecia%22,%22title%22:%22Matías), un crack del ajedrez, Helvecia
  9. 14.Aprender y Jugar Ajedrez en Uruguay, Federación](https://helvecia.com.uy/2022/04/06/matias-un-crack-del-ajedrez/%22,%22language%22:%22es-UY%22,%22accessedAt%22:%222026-08-18%22,%22sourceType%22:%22reputable_press%22,%22supports%22:[%22identity%22,%22history%22,%22community%22]},{%22sourceId%22:%22lo-s14%22,%22publisher%22:%22Federación) Uruguaya de Ajedrez
  10. 15.Festival Nacional de la Juventud 2026 - Sub 16, Chess-Results](https://fuajedrez.org/aprender-y-jugar-ajedrez-en-uruguay/%22,%22language%22:%22es-UY%22,%22accessedAt%22:%222026-08-18%22,%22sourceType%22:%22federation%22,%22supports%22:[%22identity%22,%22location%22]},{%22sourceId%22:%22lo-s15%22,%22publisher%22:%22Chess-Results) / Federación Uruguaya de Ajedrez
  11. 16.Convocatoria de Árbitros a Torneos Oficiales de la FUA, Federación](https://chess-results.com/tnr1404550.aspx?art=79&lan=1&turdet=YES%22,%22language%22:%22es-UY%22,%22accessedAt%22:%222026-08-18%22,%22sourceType%22:%22fide_or_results%22,%22supports%22:[%22identity%22,%22competition%22]},{%22sourceId%22:%22lo-s16%22,%22publisher%22:%22Federación) Uruguaya de Ajedrez

This profile summarizes publicly accessible sources. Organizations, links and locations can change. MindZug does not guarantee current availability.

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