Beatriz Marinello

Beatriz Marinello wears many hats in the chess world. She has contributed a tremendous amount to the game, both nationally and internationally as a player, teacher, organizer and administrator. 

Beatriz started playing chess at the age of 13 and became national women’s champion of her native Chile when she was 16 in 1980, but her biggest accomplishments came after she moved to the United States in 1990.

Playing in multiple U.S. Championships, Beatriz’s best results were third place finishes in 1991 and 1993. She represented the United States in Women’s Interzonals in 1991 and 1993 and played for the U.S. Women’s Olympiad team in 1994.

Beatriz started to play less after this as she concentrated on other roles in the chess world but she returned to the board to play for the U.S. Women’s team in the World Senior Team Championships in 2024 and 2026, which took silver and gold.

A book could be written about Beatriz’s non-chess playing accomplishments but the highlights include being elected the first female president of the U.S. Chess Federation (2003-2005) and as the first woman to serve as a FIDE vice-president (2010-2018). She is a former member of the FIDE Verification Commission, and a former General Secretary of FIDE Americas. Beatriz was the National Scholastic Director of the United States Chess Federation and has established and run numerous scholastic chess programs in New York City. In 2008, Beatriz was awarded the prestigious Chess Educator of the Year Award by the University of Texas Dallas.