CAGAYAN de Oro launched its bid to keep its chess dominance intact with a strong opening performance from Woman FIDE Master (WFM) Ruelle Canino, Woman National Master (WNM) Lila Alyssa Seriña and Arena Candidate Master (ACM) Ahszley Aya Nicole Paquinol in the 2025 Batang Pinoy National Finals.
The trio, leading a 17-player delegation from the City of Gold, swept their first two matches in the standard event, which follows a nine-round Swiss System format with a 30-minute time control and a 30-second increment.
Canino — the youngest Filipina to win the national women’s title and a 2024 World Chess Olympiad veteran — was facing Misamis Oriental’s Richily Evans Cuizon in the third round of the girls under-17 category as of press time.
Seriña was paired against Arena FIDE Master Abby Marie Escalderon of Naga City, while Paquinol took on Mikaela Villalon of Toledo City in their own third-round tests.
Misamis Oriental’s frontliner, Arena FIDE Master Janin Dhrey Querequere — now the province’s brightest hope after several top players transferred to other local governments — is also off to a blazing start. Trained by her father, Niño, she dominated her first two opponents in the girls under-13 division and next meets fellow unbeaten Lloryne Emmanuelle Zubiaga of Iloilo Province.
Meanwhile, former Bukidnon standout Sebastian Damonsong, now suiting up for Baguio City, remains spotless on the leaderboard. Another ex-MisOr ace, National Master Keith Adriane Ilar, is also chasing a podium finish for Bukidnon with a perfect run in the boys under-15 field.
Making noise on the higher boards is newly-minted International Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca of Davao del Norte, now representing Zamboanga City.
A former world youth blitz champion, he is widely favored to rule the boys under-16 bracket.
