Pambata Chess 2009

(NOTE: A reader from Iloilo sent us an article about a chess event for kids in their area. We are glad to receive chess news, especially chess for kids, from our readers from different parts of the Philippines as well as from Filipinos from different parts of the globe.)


By Jay D. Fortunado

Two local young talents dominated with perfect scores the recently concluded PAMBATA CHESS, PAMBATO SILA!!! held at the University of San Agustin Student Center (Iloilo City) on August 22-23, 2009.

Lanz Renuel H. Otero, fifth grader of SPED Sto. Domingo chalked seven points besting 71 other hopefuls in Category 1 (7 to below 12). Fritz Bryan Porras of Guimaras Province also registered a convincing seven wins over a pack of 75 others in Category 2 (12 to below 17).

Otero also bagged the gold in Board 1 during the annual City Meet and bronze in the Regional Meet held in Capiz just recently. First runner up went to Fiona Guirhem, a Grade III pupil of Central Philippine University. She was also adjudged as the Best Female Performer after an exciting round with local sensation Diomel Escutin where the former although, down with a bishop, managed to checkmate Escutin in three moves.

Porras likewise has a record to speak for himself. He was champion during the Dinagyang 2009 Blitz, juniors division, victorious in the May Manggahan Festival in Guimaras and participated during the April 2009 Palarong Pambansa. He was followed by Noel Vincent Crucero of SPED ISEC, Iloilo City.

Despite being hampered by poverty and the recent death of an older brother who was also a competing chessplayer, this promising lad from Guimaras proved that the human spirit can triumph in the midst of adversities. With only enough money for transportation and a few necessities, he and his younger brother together with their ever-supportive parents sailed to Iloilo City with the hopes of winning in order for Fritz Bryan to be able to offer the victory to his deceased older brother. According to his mother, should he win the championship trophy, he would place it in their altar as an offering for his older brother who drowned in a swimming incident just recently. The parents would have wanted the other three children to join but they can barely make ends meet and paying for 5 registration fees at P75.00 each is too much a burden to bear.

In the penultimate round between the two, Crucero sacrificed a pawn to allow his king to invade the “h” file for a mating attack. However, Porras countered with an outside passed pawn for a queen promotion forcing Crucero to retreat his dark squared bishop. Surprisingly, he allowed the promotion on yet another mating combination with his bishop pair but this time failed analyze that the newly promoted queen controlled the long diagonal a1 to h8 stopping all intentions of mate.

Final ranking list: Category 1: Champion P1,500 plus trophy- Lanz Renuel Otero, 1st Runner Up P1,000.00 plus trophy Fiona Geeweeneth Guirhem (also Best Female Performer P500.00), 2nd Runner Up P700.00 plus trophy– Sean Falcis 3rd Runner up P500.00 Salia Magno. Category 2: Champion P1,500.00 plus trophy – Fritz Bryan Porras, 1st Runner up P1,000.00 plus trophy Noel Vincent Crucero,2nd Runner up P700.00 plus trophy– Victor Angelitud 3rd Runner up P500.00 Jan Hermo Baron, Best Female Peformer P 500.00 Angelica Trinos.

The event was organized by the Iloilo City Chess Club in cooperation with the University of San Agustin. Friends from here and abroad extended monetary contributions.