Oro’s Capilitan, Tan, Canino unleash deadly chess forms

CHESS supremacy for Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental teams in the recently-held Grandfinals of the 2023 National Age-Group Chess Championships simply belonged to its female pawnpushers.

This, as the local bets capped their dominant show in Dipolog City with the troika of Zhaoyu Capilitan, Mary Janelle Tan, and Ruelle Canino repeating as champions after qualifying earlier to the 21st Asean+ Age Group Chess Championship via the classical chess with a standard time control of one hour and 30 minutes plus 30 seconds increment per player.

Leading the charge is the lion-hearted Capilitan who followed up her standard conquest by sweeping the titles in blitz and rapid competitions en route to a spectacular three-gold finish in the Under-12 girls category.

“The girl showed a very special talent and character that can pave her all the way to the international level someday. She played like a boy atop the 64-square-board,” observed Capilitan’s private coach Jaime Joshua Frias II.

As the diminutive Tan won two golds in standard chess and blitz (a perfect 7 of 7) in the Under-10 girls class, the multi-titled Canino proved that the National Chess Federation of the Philippines was just right in testing her standard propensity against the Under-16 boys as part of her ASEAN preparation for the Under-16 girls hostilities.

In fact, moving up to challenge the Under-18 girls in blitz, Canino showed no mercy as she scored an unbelievable 12.5 points in 13 rounds with her only “drawn match” coming from her older sister, Rhea Jean.

While Ilar, the Under-14 boys champion in standard chess, added a bronze in the Under-18 blitz, female compatriot LJ Getubig–who failed to make the cut in the standard qualifier–redeemed herself by emerging as champion in the Under-18 girls’ blitz event.

Arena Fide Master Janin Dhrey Querequere, runner-up in the standard contest, came back with a silver in the Under-12 girls’ blitz and so fellow MisOr bet Rena Deloso Dalagan in the Under-10 girls’ blitz rivalry.

Not to be outdone, standard fourth-placer Quarl Maverick Vera Cruz won’t go home empty-handed as he ran away with a couple of bronze medals after finishing third in both the Under-12 boys’ blitz and rapid skirmishes.

Also making it to the top three in the standard qualifier for the Asean Meet this coming June 17-27 in Bangkok, Thailand are Lila Alyssa Seriña (runner-up in U14 girls), Rhea Jean Canino (third place, U18 girls), AFM Querequere (runner-up U12 girls) and Sara Dalagan (runner-up U16 girls).

Misamis Oriental coach Johnnel Balquin told Gold Star Daily that only the standard event champions have been given the assurance by the NCFP to represent the country in the Asean chessfest with an all-expense-paid trip to Bangkok, Thailand.