Cebu chess prodigy dominates CVIRAA, secures top Palaro spot

Adina Vera Kwan proudly shows her medals in CVIRAA. | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Cebu City is once again poised for overall dominance in the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) 2025, thanks to its exceptional athletes, including a rising chess prodigy, Adina Vera Kwan.

Kwan, a young talent being honed under International Master (IM) Kim Steven Yap at the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters, stole the spotlight by clinching two gold medals and a bronze, securing her spot in the prestigious Palarong Pambansa in Ilocos Norte later this year.

The determined fifth grader had her sights set on victory even before the competition began.

READ: Tagbilaran underdogs beat Cesafi’s top squads for CVIRAA gold

Her confidence proved justified as she dominated the individual standard category, secured another gold in the team standard event, and capped off her impressive run with a bronze in the blitz individual category.

These medals were enough to consider her as CVIRAA’s top qualifier for Palarong Pambansa.

CVIRAA CHESS

“The CVIRAA competition wasn’t exactly easy, but it wasn’t too difficult either. I was already expecting to win the gold medal,” said the 11-year-old Kwan, her unwavering belief in her abilities evident.

READ: Cebu City Niños take commanding lead as meet nears finale

Ultimately, it was a sweet redemption for her after losing in last year’s CVIRAA held in Cebu City.

Interestingly, Kwan is also an avid billiards enthusiast. However, her true brilliance shines in chess, a passion she has devoted countless hours to improve with one goal in mind, to become a Grand Master (GM).

Despite her interest in cue sports, she commits at least two hours daily to sharpening her chess skills—a discipline that has yielded her two gold medals.

READ: UC Webmasters sweep chess titles at Cebu City Olympics

“Adina as expected, performed really well. Naningkamot gyud ni siya maayo para makadaug. Natural ra gyud niya na maayo mo chess. Medyo bata pa ni siya, dili gyud siya makulbaan maskin kinsa kontra (She did her best to win. It was already expected because she is good in chess. She is still very young that is why she is not threatened whoever is her opponent),” said her coach, IM Yap.

“Dako na ni siya chance palaro kay hinog na siya, pero daghan factors modaug. Number 1 is ang overall preparation sa training. She is a pragmatic player, maka meet sa demand.)

(She has very big change of winning in the palaro because she is ready for it, but there are several factors to win. Number 1 is the overall preparations in terms of training.  She is a pragmatic players, she can very well meet the demand.)

RIGOROUS TRAINING

Her journey into chess began at the age of eight, influenced by her father, Jan Kwan. Years of dedication and rigorous training paid off as she delivered a near-perfect performance in the individual standard competition of the CVIRAA, finishing with an impressive 6.5 points after seven rounds.

She overcame formidable opponents, including Louise Glory Villahermosa, Yoana Kaizzy Pacina, Eliza Rose Salubre, Lara Mae Torrefiel, and Hylee Regidor. Even when she settled for a draw against Glecy Rose Villarojo in the sixth round, she bounced back strongly, sealing her campaign with a crucial win against Daniel Chaeline Villalon in the final match.

With her ticket to Palarong Pambansa now secured, Kwan remains steadfast in her pursuit of excellence. She is determined to elevate her game, setting her sights on a gold medal on the national stage.

“Now that I’ve qualified for Palarong Pambansa, I expect to achieve a high score. I will train harder and smarter—sparring with stronger players and solving puzzles every day,” she said.