Portuguese Chess Federation
Filipa PepperPortugal’s first female chess Grandmaster
At just 20 years old, the young 3rd year Medicine student at ICBAS, in Porto, doesn’t want to stop there — and assumes that she is now aiming for the title of absolute International Master.
The Portuguese chess player Filipa Pepper This week achieved the most valuable feat in Portuguese women’s chess, obtaining the title of female Grandmaster in the sport.
With her excellent performance at the Grenke Open, in Karlsruhe, Germany, the Portuguese chess player achieved the third and definitive standard for Female Grandmaster (WGM), with only one missing for International Master (MI).
At 20 years old, Filipa continues writing a unique path in Portuguese chessafter having already been the first woman to enter the absolute national top-10just 17 years old.
Speaking to Lusa, Filipa admits that she is “very happy” for what he achieved, a “national historical framework“, and promises to continue fighting for the goals: to be MI “maybe next year, already“, and then the highest echelon, Absolute Grand Masterlike her great reference, the legendary Hungarian player Judit Polgar.
Filipa recognizes that the The path “will not be easy from now on”because he continues to study and “It’s not easy to balance with studies“. The chess player is a third-year Medicine student at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, at the University of Porto, where did not even enjoy the high competition status.
The difficulty in reconciling the school calendar with the sports calendar has even led to having to give up World or European Championships in youth categories, which has been competing at a high level for 10 years.
Getting sponsorships hasn’t been easy either.so it was only four years ago that he started going to high-level tournaments, like the one in Karslruhe, which is essential to gain the much-desired standards.
To get to MI, you need to reach an ELO of 2,400and currently has 2,320. “It shouldn’t be this year anymore… I don’t know when I’ll get the third standardI would like it to happen next year”, he says.
“Being a professional is my dream“, he guarantees, confident that his capabilities “have not yet been fully achieved”. Even if this was necessary “sacrifice a little more” the love for running and the cello.
Assuming yourself as “resilient and fighter“, admits having already gone through “unpleasant situations” in an environment where almost all male players in the country beat.
Born in 2005 in Durham, North Carolinawith a Lithuanian father and a Portuguese mother, Filipa Pipiras has dual citizenship, of Portugal and the United States. Lives in Porto and competes for Colégio Efanorin Senhora da Hora, after having already been a player for Grupo Desportivo Dias Ferreira and Escola de Chess do Porto.
