Vivian Ramón Pita (born 1963)[1] is a Cuban Women's Chess Grandmaster.She was the first Cuban to reach the category of International Female Grandmaster in 1998.[2]
Ramón Pita was born in 1963. She began playing chess at the age of 12 at the Neptune and Industry Academy in the municipality of Havana City. Although she was a very introverted girl, chess helped her socialize with others who also enjoyed the game.[3]
One day, her brother approached her, mentioning a game called chess. Without a proper set, they improvised the pieces; she recalls using light switches as rooks. She originally learned the game from her brother.
Eventually, an uncle gifted them a proper chess set, and he began teaching her the basics of the game, always maintaining an edge for himself. She essentially became his chess rival, while he retained the title of household champion.
One day, a teacher named René Basarrate, a prominent figure in the local chess community, visited her school, Concepción Arenal, to promote the chess academy. He invited any interested students to attend.
Discovering that the academy was just half a block from her home, she eagerly joined. Competing against two boys, she emerged victorious, catching the attention of the instructors. They promptly enrolled her, marking the beginning of her love for chess.
Ramón Pita began her professional career and was recognized by FIDE in 1981.[4]
"It was a fortunate coincidence to discover chess. It started as a game. It captivated me, and in the end, no one could separate us."She achieved the title of Woman International Master (WIM) in 1982.
She became the first Cuban to achieve the title of Women's Grandmaster (WGM) in 1998.
She won the Cuban Women's Chess Championship seven times, in the years 1982, 1984, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1998, and 2000.
She represented Cuba in the Women's Chess Olympiads on nine occasions:[5]
Ramón Pita is a member of the Chess in Education Commission (EDU) and was recognized as a School Instructor in 2022.
Her first recorded Elo rating was in January 1981, with a rating of 1865. Her peak Elo rating was achieved in January 1997, reaching 2365. As of April 2024, her Elo rating is 2055.
Ramón Pita continues to collaborate with chess as a member of the Cuban Chess Federation.
Along with being a professor at the Latin American Chess Institute (located at UCCFD), she also helps teach at the University of Physical Culture Manuel Fajardo (UCCFD).[6] She is actively involved in promoting the game in Cuba while remaining in the competitive elite.
Ramón Pita has also written books, including Capablanca: Pact with Immortality,[7] which provides commentary on the impact that the famous chess player José Raúl Capablanca had on Cuba and how he contributed to the increased popularity of the game of chess.