Prime Chess Editorial
WIM Guadalupe Besso: Nerves, Beauty, and the Future of Women's Chess
Guadalupe Besso is a Woman International Master from Argentina who has represented her country at three Chess Olympiads. With over 3,000 coaching sessions under her belt, a Lichess Blitz rating north of 2400, and a new project bridging chess and fashion, she is one of the most dynamic figures in South American chess. We sat down with her to talk Olympiad nerves, online training, and her vision for the future.
You've represented Argentina at three Olympiads. What has been your most memorable moment with the national team, and what does it mean to you to wear your country's colors on the world stage?
WIM Guadalupe BessoI think my most memorable moment was the 2020 Online Olympiad. The pace of play suited me and I felt my performance was quite strong — it was very special and meaningful since it was my first Olympiad. The 2022 Olympiad in Chennai was incredibly exciting in terms of experience — it was my first time traveling to a country in Asia. But at the board, I let nerves get the best of me. I felt thrown off by so many new things that the experience brought with it.
On Lichess you maintain an extremely high Blitz and Bullet level, surpassing 2400. How do you think online chess has influenced your preparation for over-the-board tournaments, and what advice would you give someone looking to sharpen their tactical vision?
WIM Guadalupe BessoI think online chess definitely helps with preparation for over-the-board tournaments. On Lichess, I'd recommend the Puzzles by Theme section — they have three particularly interesting categories: Crushing, Advantage, and Intermediate. Those are great for improving your tactical vision and overall dominance of the game.
With over 3,000 lessons taught, you're a true reference in chess education. In your experience, what is the most common mistake intermediate players make when they feel stuck, and how should they work to overcome it?
WIM Guadalupe BessoI recommend the book "The Art of Analysis" by Jan Timman — it's excellent for conducting an honest self-analysis. From there, you can take concrete steps to reduce your mistakes and then seek guidance to continue improving.
As a leading player in Argentina, how do you see the current landscape of women's chess in South America, and what changes do you believe are necessary for more girls to reach international titles?
WIM Guadalupe BessoI believe more support, visibility, and dedicated women's training programs implemented by each federation would help produce more girls with international titles — and would also be a relief for the families who support them along the way.
I've seen you have a new project called "Ajedrez con Anara." Can you tell us a bit about it and what your goals are for your channel and career in 2026?
WIM Guadalupe BessoAjedrez con Anara is a personal project that aims to spread chess with style, beauty, and elegance — everything that the woman chess player already possesses. It also draws a connection between chess and fashion, because deep down, I don't think they're such different worlds.