Top 2 finishers in Pangasinan age-group tourney to join Asian youth chess

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

NATIONAL Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) grassroots development program director GM Jayson Gonzales announced yesterday that the top two finishers in each bracket of the just ended 2011 Pangasinan National Age Group Chess Championship last Tuesday will get a spot in the forthcoming 2011 Asian Youth Chess Championships set next month in Subic.

"Dahil sa impressive at excellent na pag sponsor at pag host na walang katumbas ni gov. (Amado) Espino ay nag desisyon si (NCFP) chairman/ president (Prospero) Pichay na lahat ng nag top 2 finishers sa kani-kanilang bracket sa National Age Group Chess Championships sa Lingayen ay may slot na sa tournament proper ng Asian Youth Chess Championships sa Subic sa susunod na buwan," said former Olympian Gonzales, the tournament director of the Pangasinan chess meet.

Hosted and sponsored by governor Amado Espino Jr. and backed up by NCFP chairman/ president Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr , the 2011 Pangasinan National Age Group Chess Championship was held last April 8 to 12 at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Complex Gymnasium in Lingayen, Pangasinan which attracted 272 young woodpushers.

"The success of Khulene Lord (dela Cruz), Julius (Gonzales), Daryl Unix (Samantilla) and other age groupers will serve as inspiration to other Filipino young players to do their best and strive harder in the coming Mayor Inday Sara Duterte National Age Group Chess Championships in Davao next week and Asian Youth Chess Championship next month in Subic," said Pichay, also LWUA head.

The 2011 Asian Youth Championships gets underway on May 14 to 22 at the Subic Freeport in Olongapo City. Participants may compete in the U-8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 Age-Groups for Girls and Boys.

Medals will be awarded to the top three positions in each event and category (Standard chess and Blitz chess tournaments).

Titles: For the Standard Chess events, FM and WFM titles are awarded to the winners of the youth categories. In case of tie, after tie-break, only the top three will be awarded. CM and WCM titles are awarded, after tie-break, to silver and bronze medal winners – not more than one title will be awarded for each (2nd/3rd) position.

Team Medals in Standard Chess: For each category, the top 3 players of the 3 top Federations will be awarded team medals based on the total score of these 3 players. Federations with less than 3 players will not be eligible for a team award. In case of any tie, the tie-break scores of each player shall be considered.

Here's the list of winners who already booked their seat in the upcoming Asian Youth Chess Championships in Subic next month.

Khulene Lord dela Cruz of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte and Dennis Gutierrez III of Pangasinan (Boys 8 under), Jerlyn Mae San Diego of Dasmarinas, Cavite and Rheam Arah de Guzman of Laguna (Girls 8 under), Julius Gonzales of Marikina City and Istraelito Rilloraza of Las Pinas City (Boys 10 under), Fiona Geeweneth Guirhem of Nueva Ecija and Regyne Palamig of Pangasinan (Girls 10 under).

Daryl Unix Samantila of Manila and Haince Patrick de Leon of Marikina City (Boys 12 under), Marie Antoinette San Diego of Dasmarinas, Cavite and Samantha Glo Revita of Pangasinan (Girls 12 under), Giovanni Mejia of Pangasinan and Jerad Docena of Bohol (Boys 14 under), Mary Joyce Fuerte of Pangasinan and Merlene Membrere of La Union (Girls 14 under..

FM Jan Emmanuel Garcia of Manila and Paul Robert Evangelista of Pangasinan (Boys 16 under), WFM Cherry Ann Mejia of Pangasinan and Janelle Mae Frayna of Bicol (Girls 16 under), NM Alcon John Datu of Quezon City and FM Haridas Pascua of Pangasinan (Boys 18 under), WFM Chardine Cheradee Camacho of La Union and Christine Joyce Laz of Quezon City (Girls 18 under).