14th ASEAN + Age Group Chess Championships 2013

14th ASEAN + Age Group Chess Championships 2013: Garcia, Pascua, Datu leads gold rush for PH's gold medal winners; Nouri, Revita, Concio, Samantila, Bersamina, Gonzales shines

by Marlon Bernardino

International Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia of Manila, Fide Master Haridas Pascua of Mangatarem, Pangasinan and National Master Alcon John Datu of Caloocan City joined their forces to spearheaded Philippine Age group chess team into gold medal winners by dominating Open Under-20 division in the on-going 14th ASEAN + Age Group Chess Championships 2013 beinh held at the Imperial Mae Ping Hotel in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Datu, Garcia and Pascua tallied identical 5.5 points each to topped the rapid team event of the Open Under-20 division. Each of them also won an individual gold medal for the Open Under-20 division. "Walang nagawa ang mga Vietnamese kina Datu, Garcia at Pascua sa rapid team event. Parehas iskor nila kaya lahat sila ay binigyan ng gold medal sa rapid individual event," said newest International Master Roderick Nava, one of the PH's chess coach that includes IM Yves Ranola, Fide Master Hamed Nouri and National Master Edmundo Gatus.

Garcia and Pascua tallied 7.5 points each in nine outings and Datu chipped in 5.5 points to dominates the blitz team event of the Open Under-20 division. Garcia and Pascua took the gold while Mongolian FM Sumiya Bilguun finished 6.5 points for the silver medal in the blitz individual event of the Open Under-20 division. 

Sharing the limelight is seven-year old Alekhine Nouri of Escalante City, Negros Occidental in the Open Under-8 class. Nouri and Ganzorig Amartuvshin of Mongolia, both tallied six points to went home gold medal in the rapid individual event.

"So far so good, mabilis improvement ng bata (Alekhine Nouri), kayang kaya n'ya maging next Wesley So pag mayron lang mag sponsor sa kanya sa mga local at international tournaments." said Fide Master Hamed Nouri, father of Alekhine Nouri.

Michael Concio Jr. of Sta. Rosa Laguna won the gold medal along with fellow 8.0 pointers Bintang Rasyid A. Hidayat of Indonesia in the blitz individual event of the Open Under-8 class.

Not to be outdone is 13 yrs old Samantha Glo Revita of Rosales, Pangasinan who collected 6.0 points in seven outings to rules the Girls 14 and under bracket of the rapid individual event. 

"Sana magpatuloy ang magandang performance po natin sa standard competition," said Revita, an incoming grade 8 pupil of Rosales National high School.

Daryl Unix Samantila of Tonsuya, Malabon won the gold medal in the Boys 14 and under bracket of the blitz individual event. The top player of Adamson University finished with 8.0 points.

Fide Master Paulo Bersamina of Pasay City (8.0 points) won the gold medal in the blitz individual Boys 16 and under bracket while IM candidate Jerad Docena of Bohol (7.5 points) settled for silver.

National Master Giovanni Mejia of Labrador, Pangasinan notch 5.0 points and joined Bersamina and Docena for the blitz team gold in the Boys 16 and under bracket. Bersamina (5.5 points) settled for silver in the rapid individual event while Docena (5.0 points) satisfied for bronze medal.

Julius Gonzales of Marikina City (8.0 points) along with FM Nguyen Anh Khoi of Vietnam won the gold medal in the blitz individual event of the Boys 12 and under bracket. Gonzales along with Istraelio Rilloroza of Las Pinas City and Stephen Rome Pangilinan of Bulacan tallied 5.0 points for the individual bronze medals in the rapid event.

Other individual medallists were WIM elect Janelle Mae Frayna of Legaspi City (Silver medal, G20 blitz), Shanie Mae Mendoza of Sta. Rosa Laguna (Bronze medal, G16 blitz), Ynna Sophia Canape of Marikina City (Bronze medal, G16 rapid) and Daniel Cuizon of Taytay Rizal (Silver medal, U10 rapid).

National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) chairman/president Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. was elated with the team’s performance.

 "Before they left in ManiIa i told them to give their best shot and bring honor to the country,” said Pichay also the treasurer of Philippine Olympic Committee.

NCFP secretary general and Cavite 7th district Rep. Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino Jr. said the success of the young athletes once again proved chess’s lofty record as certified achiever.

"“Once again our flag has been raised in this foreign land after knowing that our Filipino kababayan won the coveted gold medals in the rapid and blitz competition,"  said Tolentino also Asian Zone 3.3 FIDE President.

 

The country's campaign in the tournament is supported by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) headed by Chairman/President Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr., Secretary-General Cavite 7th district Rep. Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino Jr. and Deputy Secretary-General Red Dumuk, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and Pangasinan governor Amado T. Espino. Delegation head is NCFP Executive Director grandmaster (GM) Jayson Gonzales.