REIGNING back-to-back overall chess champion Cagayan de Oro may hardly complete a grand slam feat in this year’s Batang Pinoy National Championships set on November 23-28 in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
This, after its two reliable aces ― Batang Pinoy Chess Queen-turned Olympiad sensation Ruelle ‘Tawing’ Canino and Woman National Master Lila Alyssa Seriña ― have decided to compete instead in the side events of the FIDE World Chess Championship Match 2024, featuring the defending champion Grandmaster Ding Liren of China and the world’s youngest challenger in 18-year-old Grandmaster Dommaraju Gukesh of India, at the Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore on November 25 to December 13.
The 16-year-old Canino, who helped the Philippine women’s team’s best-ever finish (taking Bracket B’s gold) in the recent World Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, will try her luck in the Open A division. While the 13-year-old Seriña will see action in the 14-under age group level of the Liren-Gukesh showdown’s side events.
“Mas importante man gud ang Singapore kay naay norm at stake and rating points kon maayo ilang performance. Timing sab nga na-conflict sa Batang Pinoy schedules,” Tawing’s father Ruel ‘Taskie’ Canino told Gold Star Daily.
Lawyer Vincent Cromwell Seriña likewise said his daughter Lila Alyssa is also in the hunt for a Fide master norm in Singapore.
With her latest 2254 elo ratings, the younger Canino needed just 46 points in Singapore for her to become a full-pledged Woman International Master.
Along with Zhaoyu Capilitan, Azhzley Aya Nicole Paquinol, Mary Janelle Tan, Iyren Kate Moneva, and Aleyah Kristine Francisco, the Canino and Seriña-powered Team CDO dominated the last two editions of the Batang Pinoy chess in Vigan City and Pasay City, Metro Manila.
The neighboring province of Misamis Oriental, behind the consistent gold medal performance of elementary girls campaigner Janin Dhrey Querequere and secondary standout National Master Keith Adriane Ilar, meanwhile, came as the second-best Batang Pinoy chess performer.
