RP youngsters pick up 10 wins in World Youth Chess tourney

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines harvested 10 wins at the start of the World Youth Chess Championships late Monday in Vung Tau town in Vietnam.

Cristy Lamiel Bernales and Cheradee Chardine Camacho, who are both booked for the World Chess Olympiad next month, bested their foes in the girls' under-16 and under-14 divisions respectively.

Bernales downed Marcella Gunther of The Netherlands and Camacho defeated Lunbini Ambanwela of Sri Lanka.Jedara Docena was also victorious in her under-16 assignments after she beat Dalia Kagramanov of Canada.

In the boys' category, Haridas Pascua and Alcon John Datu won in their boys' under-16 matches.Other winners included Jan Emmanuel Garcia (boys' under-14), Paulo Bersamina (under-10), and Kyle Ochoa and Haince Patrick de Leon (under-eight).Karl Victor Ochoa won in his boys' under-18 debut by default.Overall, the Filipinos, who fielded 18 participants in the 11-round tournament, also registered three draws and five losses.

Jan Jodilyn Fronda and Cherry Ann Mejia (girls' under-14), Rowelyn Acedo (girls' under-12), Samantha Glo Revita (girls' under-10), and John Ray Batucan (boys' under-12) accounted for the country's five defeats.Prince Mark Aquino (boys' under-14), Jerad Docena and Vince Angelo Medina (boys' under-12) settled for draws.

Chess prodigy So on track of ‘Super GM’ rank

10/03/2008 05:56 PM

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino teen chess prodigy Wesley So remains on track of reaching his goal of becoming the country’s second “Super Grandmaster" after breaking the 2600 ELO rating.

Mark Paragua was the first Filipino Super GM.

Based on the October results posted at the World Chess Federation (FIDE) website, So now has a 2610 ELO to remain the Philippines’ top woodpusher. Super GMs are those with an ELO rating of 2700 or more.

So, who turns 15 on October 9 and currently the world’s youngest GM, is also ranked 11th among the Top 20 Junior chess players in the world.

Placing second to So in the Philippine ranking is Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre who has an ELO rating of 2560 while GM Mark Paragua is at third with 2526.

Rounding up the Philippines’ Top 10 players are International Master John Paul Gomez (fourth, 2519), GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. (fifth, 2515), GM Darwin Laylo (sixth, 2507), Rolando Nolte (seventh, 2489), IM Joseph Sanchez (eighth, 2471), GM Jayson Gonzales (ninth, 2469) and GM Bong Villamayor (10th 2468).

The Philippines also placed 34th in the rank by country based on its eight GMs, 22 IMs and a total of 43 titled chess players. The Philippines has an ELO rating of 2513 just a point behind Switzerland at 33rd spot.

GM Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria (2791) continues to lord it over in the men’s world rankings while GM Judith Polgar of Hungary (2711) is leading the women’s side.

GM Gary Kasparov of Russia holds the record for holding the top ranking 23 times. He also posted the highest rating at 2849

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