Apple Rubin | Contributed photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The reigning ASEAN Age Group Chess Championships gold medalist Apple Rubin of Toledo City is on another tough mission as she competes for Team Philippines in the Asian Girls Rapid Chess Championship 2024 in Tagaytay City this weekend.
The 14-year-old Rubin, Toledo City’s chess phenom, is currently competing in the fourth round as of press time. She is currently ranked No. 9 in the competition that fields 22 woodpushers from countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Guam.
Rubin is one of the four Filipina woodpushers who are competing and is leading among them in the current standings. The other Filipina woodpushers competing are Arleah Cassandra Sapuan, Jemaicah Yap Mendoza, and Elle Castronuevo.
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Rubin had a rough start after losing to top-seeded Women’s International Master (WIM) Anna Shukhman of Russia in board one.
However, Rubin bounced back strong winning her next two matches against Vietnamese Hoang Tu Linh Luong and Taiwanese Pin-I Chen, but lost to Indian V. Rindhiya in the fourth round.
Currently, Rubin is playing against another Indian Dhanashree Khairmode in the fifth round.
Leading the standings after the fourth round is Sri Lankan Women’s FIDE Master (WFM) Devindya Gunawardhana with a perfect 4.0 points, followed by WIM Shukman with 3.0 points, and Indian WFM Gupta Shubhi with 3.0 points as well.
It can be recalled that Rubin bagged the gold medal in the blitz competition in her first international tournament during the 22nd ASEAN+ Age-Group Chess Championships 2024 in Vientiane, Laos.
She finished with a modest sixth place in the competition’s rapid category in Laos.