WORDS spread out for quite some time about this little kid from Balingoan, Misamis Oriental who could play chess.
However, virtually no one seems to take it seriously until the town held its 70th Araw Ng Balingoan, featuring chess among its major sports highlights on Wednesday.
Only did the local chess community take a second look at 10-year-old Quarl Vera Cruz who dominated his second board alongside his elderly partner Paciano Gulle to power Team GVC into a championship win of the Open Dalawahan Team Event.
“Naa gyod diay talent bataa. He could be the next Jongjong Salcedo in Misamis Oriental province,” remarked arbiter Lorenzo Cuizon, referring to the Inobulan, Salay pride Richelieu Salcedo III who showed potential as a child and quickly blossomed into becoming a full-fledged International Master, and now enlisted personnel of the Philippine Air Force.
Despite scoring just four points for Gulle to place individual third on board one behind joint first and second placers Ronnel Cantonjos of Tagoloan Kalye and Aljie Cantonjos of Gingoog Mind Movers at 5.5 points each, Team GVC still managed to seize the Dalawahan’s top purse and championship trophy behind Vera Cruz’s five-point output on board 2 that was only matched by the much older Joseph Parmisano (five pts) of Tag-Bal team.
“Akong nadula ni nga bata sa ilang balay sa una kay suod ‘mi sa iyang papa. Nakurat ko kay di pa-alkanse sa opening play, iya gyod ko’ng nakulata sa among two games,” former Liceo de Cagayan basketball standout-turned lawyer John Aldrich ‘Dong’ Bonete told Gold Star Daily.
“I think, natural talent gyod ni Quarl kay iyang papa (Alberto Vera Cruz) di man hanas sa chess,” added Bonete.
Cuizon said Misor governor Yevgeny Vincente Emano had once supported Vera Cruz when he qualified to the Asean age-group tourney in Thailand.
“He deserves more support to progress in his craft. Atong tabangan on whatever means nga atong makaya kay sayang kon i-take for granted lang,” Cuizon said of the talented boy from Balingoan Elementary School, who declared “I want to become a chess master.”
Behind GVC’s total of 9 points are Tagoloan Kalye (8.5 pts) of Ronnel Cantonjos and LJ Getubig, Tagoloan Manuli-ay (8.5 pts) of Rodolfo Calonia Jr and Lyn Getubig, Gingoog Mind Movers (eight pts) of Aljie Cantonjos and Khent Lourence Canas, and Sikat Magsaysay (eight pts) of Abner Cantonjos and Karl Auguste Sayson.
Organized by the Balingoan LGU through mayor Aaron Paul Unabia with the support of Cong. Christian Unabia and the Balingoan Chess Club under its president Dhomreylotter ‘Niño’ Querequere, the 70th Araw ng Balingoan chessfest has also categories for the Beginners and 16-under boys and girls.
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