LOCAL young chessers had just put the City of Cagayan de Oro and the Province of Misamis Oriental in the national sports limelight after dominating the Grandfinals of the 2023 National Age-Group Chess Championships held on April 2-11 in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte.

The home ground bets sustained their mighty show of chess skills and talents in the last Batang Pinoy National Meet in Vigan City and the National Age-Group Chess Championship Eliminations in Tagaytay City by producing at least seven qualifiers in Dipolog to the 21st Asean + Age Group Chess Championship this coming June 17-27 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Leading the charge are Cagayan de Oro's Zhaoyu Capilitan and the multi-titled Ruelle 'Tawing' Canino as well as Misamis Oriental's Keith Adriane Ilar and Mary Janelle Tan, whose respective title runs had eventually earned for them an all-expense-paid trip to Thailand.

OFF TO THAILAND. Misamis Oriental’s Keith Adriane Ilar is seen here dominating the Golden Chess Friends tourney in March at Limketkai Mall before his triumph in the National Age Group Grandfinals in Dipolog City. Photo by Lynde Salgados

Capilitan delivered a convincing nine of 11 performance to emerge champion in the Under-12 girls class, while the proven and tested Canino ― who gained an outright slot for the AseanUnder-14 girls ― finished a respectable fourth when the National Chess Federation of the Philippines tried to test her mettle in the Under-16 boys bracket.

After a sluggish start, the El Salvador City pride Ilar piled up successive wins to dish out eight points in eleven rounds which are enough for him to collar the Under-14 boys’ diadem.

The Jasaan native Tan, who represented Team CDO in her Age-Group campaign, was more impressed with her spectacular 8.5-point output in nine rounds to lord it over in the Under-10 girls category.

Panabo, Davao del Norte's rising chess star in Arena Grandmaster Christian Gian Karlo Arca also made his mark in the Dipolog Grandfinals after edging fellow 10.5-pointer Mark Jay Bacojo from Dasmariñas, Cavite in the Bucholz tiebreaker to run away with the premier Under-18 boys crown.

A RARE-SWEEP FINISH. Cagayan de Oro’s Zhaoyu Capilitan (together with her personal coach Jaime Joshua Frias II) emerges as the most dominant winner of the Asean Chess qualifier in Dipolog, sweeping all the titles in the Under-12 girls bracket for the standard, blitz, and rapid events. Contributed photo

"Dako gyod nga tabang ang series of chess tournaments in Cagayan de Oro especially the monthly event regularly organized by the Golden Chess Friends of chess-loving businessman Ben Wabe kay samot nahasa ang mga bata. Naa sab mga silent lang ga suporta sa atong chess development sa probinsiya ug sa dakbayan," said private chess trainer Jaime Joshua Frias II, who accompanied Capilitan and company in Dipolog.

Also making it to the top three in the standard event to qualify for the Asean Meet are Cagayan de Oro's Lila Alyssa Seriña (runner-up in U14 girls) and Rhea Jean Canino (third place, U18 girls) and Misamis Oriental's Arena Fide Master Janin Dhrey Querequere (runner-up U12 girls) and Sara Dalagan (runner-up U16 girls).

"Close fight silang tanan medyo wala lay s'werte ang uban. But majority sa atong players nga natagak halos tanan nakasulod sa top-10," proudly said Paglaum MisOr coach Johnnel Balquin, referring to Quarl Maverick Vera Cruz (fourth U12 boys), LJ Getubig (5th U14 girls) Lyn Getubig (8th U16 girls) Rena Deloso Dalagan (5th U10 girls), Khent Lourence Cañas (9th U16 boys) and Cagayan de Oro's Sebastian Marbas (6th U12 boys) and Ashley Aya Nicole Paquinol (6th U12 girls).

The triumphant chess youngsters are expected to be presented during the flag-raising ceremonies at the City Hall of Cagayan de Oro and Provincial Capitol on Monday morning.