Last August 2-3, 2014 the Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship is borne of the belief that the Filipino youth has the capacity to muster excellence and competitiveness through a global mental sport. Since 1992, the Shell companies in the Philippines set out to engage the minds of our youth through chess tournaments open to Filipino students under 20 years old and held in strategically located sites nationwide. To date, tens of thousands of youngsters have been motivated and credit chess playing as an activity that has positively contributed to enriching their lives.
University of San Jose-Recoletos’ Jethro Esplanada swept his last three matches, including a final round win over erstwhile leader John Ray Batucan to cop the juniors crown while Romeo Canino took the kiddies plum in the Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship Northern Mindanao leg at SM City in Cagayan de Oro City last Sunday.
The fourth-ranked Esplanada, half-a-point behind Batucan after six rounds, downed John Acedo and Paul Omongos at resumption of the nine-round tournament then outplayed Batucan with the black to emerge solo champion in the 20-and-under class with 8.5 points..
MOGCHS’s Julie Anne Opema, who had four points after six rounds, also swept her last three games against Roweve Pagulong, Edcel Amper and Alberto Diolola Jr. to finish tied for third with five others at seven points and emerge the top female player. She will thus join Esplanada and Balbona in the grand championship set Oct. 11-12 at SM Megamall.
Romeo Canino, also ranked No. 4 and an MOGCHS standout, ripped brother Ronald in a duel of unbeaten players in the seventh round then trounced Adrian Yulo before splitting the point with Ronulfo Ranario to top the kiddies section, also with 8.5 points.