First Hybrid Tournament Concludes Successfully at the University of La Romana (UNIROMANA)

Concluding with an emotional awards ceremony in the auditorium of the University of La Romana (UNIROMANA), the First Hybrid Chess and Gueides War Game Tournament has drawn to a highly successful close. The in-person event, held under an atmosphere of intense concentration, crowned the region's newest masters of strategy.

Dominic Rymer Paulino Dominates in Chess

The Chess division crowned Dominic Rymer Paulino as its absolute Champion. Paulino claimed the top spot in the tournament after demonstrating flawless tactical precision round after round.

The Creator's Paradox in Gueides War Game

In the Gueides War Game division, played entirely on physical wooden boards, the final round brought a dramatic tactical climax. **Oscar Camino** led with total dominance over his opponent, **Gerlin Damián Zacarias George**. Camino had captured the opponent's Drone (the most powerful piece on the board) and prepared a decisive offensive for a "Guebel Mortis" victory.

However, when giving a "Guebel" check with his Drone, Camino mistakenly assumed the rival Commander had exhausted all defensive options. In a surprising counter-maneuver, Zacarias George executed a "Bunker Jump" —the Commander's signature escape move— to capture Camino's Drone, forcing him to resign a few moves later. Oscar Camino fell to Gerlin Damián Zacarías after overlooking the very rule he had conceived.

This surprise defeat granted first place to **José Miguel Mejía**, who claimed the crown as the new Gueides War Game Champion. Physical game inventor **Federico Díaz** claimed second place, while Oscar Camino was relegated to third.

This result adds a fascinating page to their historical rivalry. In December last year, during the first official Gueides tournament (before expanding to the 9x9 board), **Federico Díaz** took first, **José Miguel Mejía** second, and **Oscar Camino** third, while also fighting for the top spot. On this occasion, Mejía took his revenge by claiming the champion's cup.

Sportsmanship and Institutional Support

In an extraordinary gesture of sportsmanship and promotional spirit, both Federico Díaz and Oscar Camino formally decided to waive and transfer their cash prizes (for second and third place) to the next eligible players in the standings, continuing to incentivize local competitive talent.

During the closing ceremony, official certificates and trophies signed by the organizers were presented. A Special Recognition Certificate was presented to **UNIROMANA** as the host institution, received officially by **Lic. José Manuel Luaces Carreño**, Academic Vice-Rector of the University of La Romana.

Likewise, FIDE Arbiter **Jhonatan Mejía Sosa** was presented with a Special Recognition Certificate for his flawless technical direction and tournament management.

Special Acknowledgements: Oscar Camino expresses his heartfelt gratitude to the young Gervin Ezequiel Zacarías and Gerelin Raynelly Zacarías for collaborating by operating his camera and mobile device to capture the group photographs in which he appeared next to the winners.