Cebuano woodpushers start bid in ASEAN Chess Championships
Eighteen Cebuano young woodpushers will test their wits against the best contenders in the Southeast Asian region as the 19th ASEAN Age Group Chess Championships 2018 competition proper kicks off today at the Royal Mandaya Hotel in Davao City.
The tournament will run until June 28.
The Cebuano contingent is headed by 12-year-old chess phenom Jerish John Velarde of Lapu-Lapu City, who bagged a bronze medal in the under-12 blitz competition of the 2018 Asian Youth Chess Championships in Thailand earlier this year.
He also bagged a gold medal in the blitz competition of the Palarong Pambansa in Vigan, Ilocos Sur last May.
“As we all know, the ASEAN level is a very difficult competition to take, there are 200 players coming from Vietnam alone but I do believe that the Filipino contingent has a good fighting chance to top their respective age groups,” said Edilberto Velarde, the father of Jerish John.
Velarde will compete in the under-12 division that will start today.
He will be joined by Danao City’s pride, 14-year old Alphecca Gonzales, who clinched the gold medal in the under-18 category of the women’s junior division of the recently concluded Asian Universities Chess Championships held in Tagaytay City, earlier this month.
The rest of the Cebuano contingent in the 10-day international wood pushing tournament are Jave Merrick Peteros, Edelyn Vosotros, Angel Naureen Bagano, Kristen Yochabel Marie Sanchez, Nash Misal, Marian Calimbo, Aaron Resma, Alleya Salinas, Glesit Marie Tatoy, Jeo Daniel Tatoy, Teosito Tatoy Jr, Regina Catherine Quiñanola, Glybel Jane Quiñanola, Mary Margarette Quiñanola, Lynell Henri Jumao-as, Crystal Lynne Jumao-as, Jeremy Rose Bajo, and Rexx Finnley Doen Lauta.
They will compete in eight different age groups against competitors from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Singapore.
The Cebuano bets competed in a series of local wood pushing tournaments since May after the Palarong Pambansa in preparation for this tournament.
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