OZAMIZ City — Two elementary pupils from Cagayan de Oro teamed up with Grandmaster Daniel Quizon to pull off one of the biggest surprises in the 6th Asenso Ozamiz Open Chess Championships, capturing the team rapid title against a field stacked with seasoned players.
After missing out on the individual Rapid Open crown, the 21-year-old Quizon found redemption in the tournament's final event—the three-player team rapid competition—thanks to an unlikely partnership with Bradkint Gayramon and Jan Calvin Abesamis.
The trio, playing under Wise Gambit, was formed only at the last minute and entered the event with little expectation of winning.
Arbiter Lorenzo Cuizon recalled Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales joking about the team's youthful appearance.
"They were so cute as a team because they were almost the same height," Cuizon said.
But once the matches began, the young squad proved they belonged, defeating older and more experienced opponents to finish with 11 match points and claim the P60,000 championship prize and trophy.
Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna said Quizon agreed to team up with the youngsters after being impressed by one of them during a simultaneous exhibition.
For Quizon, the pressure disappeared once the event started.
"I just kept playing with the kids without any pressure or expectations," he said.
In a gesture that drew applause from spectators, Quizon handed the championship trophy to his two elementary school teammates after their victory.
The Minions, composed of International Master Mark Jay Bacojo, Davin Sean Romualdez and elementary player Danry Seth Romualdez, finished second with 10 match points to earn P30,000 after winning the tiebreak over Mindmovers Zamboanga 1.
Mindmovers Zamboanga 1 settled for third and P20,000, while Kahit Ano Lang, led by newly crowned Ozamiz Open champion International Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca, finished fourth.
