by Marlon Bernardino.
JEANNE MARIE ARCINUE (above right) of General Trias City, Cavite and Stephen Johnel Extra (above left) of San Pascual, Hagonoy, Bulacan earned triumphant finishes by besting their rivals during the conclusion of the 2021 Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio National Youth & Schools Chess Championships – Mindanao Leg held last April 26 and 27, 2021 at Tornelo online platform.
Arcinue, one of the top players of the star-studded General Trias City Chess Club under the guidance of Rep. Jonjon Ferrer and coach Ederwin Estavillo, topped the Girl’s Under-9 title. The 8-year-old chess prodigy won her first five matches then lost to Raya Georgette Paradero in the sixth round, bounced back with an seventh and final-round win over Mica Claire Clar.
Actually, Arcinue and Faith Argenal, both tallied 6 points apiece in seven outings, however Arcinue took the title with a better tie break points.
Arcinue is also fresh from winning the 2021 Zamboanga Sultans National Age Group Online Chess Championships Mindanao leg Under 10-Girls division last April 17, 2021.
The 13-year-old Extra, meanwhile, drew with Christian Erickson Costuna in the final round of the Boy’s Under-15 to top the division with 6.0 points.
Extra, a grade 8 pupil of Ramona S. Trillana Highschool drew his first round matches to Arleah Cassandra Sapuan in the first round, then bested Lorenzo Guevara in the second round, Mysoul Malabarbas in the third round, Richard Haiden in the fourth round, David Rey Ancheta in the fifth round, Jerome Pullos in the sixth round before beating split the point with Costuna in the last round.
The two-day online chess event, organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines headed by it’s chairman/president Deputy Speaker Rep. Prospero “Butch” Arreza Pichay Jr., NCFP chief operating officer (COO) GM Jayson Gonzales and NCFP Assistant Executive Director for Mindanao IA James Infiesto in close cooperation with City Government of Davao, Sports Development Division-City Mayor’s Office (SDD-CMO) and Go IPSB Sports Program ni Mayor Inday and backed up by Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates team owner AIM/NA Rey Urbiztondo, CPA Cipriano Magalso, NM Jonathan Tan and Atty. Jong Guevarra and Davao Chess Eagles