The 7th edition of EL LLOBREGAT OPEN CHESS will be held in Sant Boi from December 3 to 9, 20226. Among the fifty masters who have already registered, the participation of GM Martínez Alcántara stands out.
José Eduardo Martínez Alcántara, born in Lima on January 31, 1999, is today one of the most prominent grandmasters on the international scene. His career combines early talent, constant discipline and a unique ability to reinvent himself at every stage of his journey. From his first steps in Peruvian chess to his consolidation as Mexico's number one player, his story reflects the evolution of a player who has managed to turn potential into concrete results.
Martínez Alcántara earned the FIDE Master title in 2011, when he was just 12 years old, and quickly began to stand out in international youth tournaments. His progress was steady: in 2014 he achieved his first Grandmaster norm in Barcelona, and in 2017 he earned his second at the South American Under-20 Championship in Manta. That same year he achieved his third norm at the World Under-18 Championship in Montevideo, a tournament he also won, becoming world youth champion. In April 2018, after surpassing 2500 ELO points, FIDE officially awarded him the Grandmaster title, making him one of the leading figures in Peruvian chess.
For several years he represented Peru in international competitions, including the 2018 Batumi Olympiad. However, in February 2024 he made a major decision: to transfer his federation to Mexico. The move gave him access to greater institutional support and sponsorship, and immediately made him the country's highest-rated player. This step marked a new chapter in his career, consolidating his presence among the world's elite.
That same year he was at the centre of a high-profile episode when he faced former world champion Vladimir Kramnik in hybrid matches, following controversies arising from online games. In Madrid he won 14.5–11.5, while in London he lost 19–17, demonstrating his strength against a historic opponent. Also in 2024, he achieved a memorable result by winning the Chess.com Titled Cup with a perfect 11/11 score, defeating top-level players such as Hikaru Nakamura.
His definitive breakthrough came at the 2025 FIDE World Cup, held in Goa, India. There he produced a historic run: he defeated opponents including Isaak Huh, Velimir Ivić, Alexey Sarana and Pentala Harikrishna, and scored a remarkable victory over Nodirbek Abdusattorov, one of the tournament favourites. In doing so, he became the first Latin American player to reach the quarter-finals of a World Cup. Although he was eliminated by eventual champion Javokhir Sindarov, his performance propelled him to 48th place in the world rankings in January 2026, with a peak ELO of 2667 reached in December 2025.
Martínez Alcántara's style is characterised by tactical dynamism, strong calculation skills and a preference for unbalanced positions in which his intuition shines. Although he initially stood out in rapid and blitz formats, in recent years he has shown increasing maturity in classical games, establishing himself as a complete competitor.
Today, at the age of 27, José Martínez Alcántara is more than an emerging talent: he is a leading figure in Latin American chess, an ambassador for Mexico among the world's elite and an example of how perseverance and passion can transform a vocation into a legacy. His story is still being written, but he already holds a privileged place in the memory of contemporary chess.
