NEAR from Misamis Oriental’s Laguindingan airport but far from the local chess community, yet Laguindingan boy Miykael Jerahmiel Lapad compensated for it with his enormous and inherent chess talent.
In the 2023 Misamis Oriental-Cagayan de Oro Qualifying Games for age-group chess campaigners held at the Limketkai Mall in Cagayan de Oro City, over the weekend, the diminutive Lapad shone as the brightest of them all.
Lapad did impress everyone in convincing manner when he dominated the tough Boys 11-category with a 13-0 record in a single round-robin affair, using the rapid time control of 15 minutes with five seconds increment.
“It was such a tough act to follow since the Boys 11 category is crowded with the best chess kids around Cagayan de Oro. All styles he played comfortably and with relative ease,” said Arena Candidate Master Benoni Wabe, the founding head of the Golden Chess Friends which organizes monthly chess tournaments in Northern Mindanao.
“We’re so happy that his parents let him join the elimination, the best and fairest process to discover grassroots talents and future chess masters,” added Wabe, who first discovered Lapad’s special talent when he excelled in the GCF’s monthly tourney despite being a distance away from the local chess hub.
Arbiter Lorenzo Cuizon of the Provincial Sports Development Office of Misamis Oriental said the Limketkai Mall event serves as the province’s qualifier for the National Batang Pinoy Games in December among other age-group chess tourneys around the country.
Cuizon is optimistic Lapad will follow in the footsteps of Keith Adriane Ilar from the neighboring City of El Salvador, Misamis Oriental who became a full-pledged National Master at the age of 12.
Also impressive is Jan Calvin Abesamis from Opol town who placed second behind Lapad with 11.5 points to show in 13 rounds.
The rest of the qualifiers are Amiel Jayden Mabugnon and Yaeshawn Yousseff Gem Molina (Boys 9 Under), National Master Keith Adriane Ilar and Xian Macgyver Caneos (Boys 13 Under), Jun Jiyrek Sacay and Jeshua Lagunay (Boys 15 Under) and Khent Lourence Cañas and Karl Augusto Xander Sayson (Boys 17 Under).
On the distaff side are Akyzza Shayne Pagalan Labiano and Zenebie Otto Tion (Girls 9 Under), Arena Fide Master Janin Dhrey Querequere and Rena Dalagan (Girls 11 Under), Sherleen Cobey and Isabelle Dawn Painit (Girls 13 Under), LJ Getubig and Lyn Getubig (Girls 15 Under) and Sara Dalagan and Kyla Dalagan (Girls 17 Under).
For more exposure, PSDO acting head Reynand Fuentes said the majority of the Misamis Oriental-Cagayan de Oro age-group qualifiers will be sent to the Ozamiz Grand Chess Festival scheduled on November 10-12 at the City Auditorium of Ozamiz in Misamis Occidental province.
