TOP-SEEDED national pool member NM John Marvin Miciano of Davao City and Venice Vicente (No. 4 seed) of Tanza, Cavite ruled in contrasting fashions theU20 boys’ and girls’ divisions of the recent National Age Group Chess Championship, respectively, at Robinson’s Galleria in Cebu City.
Miciano, top board player of UAAP secondary chess champion Far Eastern University, edged teammate Jeth Romy Morado by .5 point, while Vicente, a member of UAAP women chess champion FEU team, nipped national pool member WFM Marie Antoinette San Diego through the direct encounter tiebreaker.
Sharing the limelight in the tourney co-presented by the Province of Cebu and Marty Pimentel and supported by Philippine Sports Commission were the pawn pushers of Dasmariñas, Cavite Mayor Elpidio Barzaga Jr. Mentored by FIDE Master Roel Abelgas, they brought home four gold medals, two silvers and a bronze.
Abelgas’ wards Jason Danday triumphed in the U18 boys, Daniel Quizon in U14 boys, Kylen Joy Mordido in U16 girls and Jerlyn Mae San Diego in U12 girls. Marie Antoinette San Diego (U20) and Darren de la Cruz (U8) settled for runner-up honors and Justine Diego Mordido finished third in U14.
“Mayor Barzaga’s chess development program whose products stood out in the country’s premier age-group competition should serve as a template for LGUs, especially now that the thrust of the PSC is grassroots sports development,” said Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr., National Chess Federation of the Philippines chairman and president.