by Marlon Bernardino,
Filipino whiz kid Ivan Travis Cu defeated Joemel Narzabal in the seventh and final round to rule the 2021 Marinduque National Age Group Chess Championships Boys Under-12 Southern Tagalog qualifying leg held over the weekend on online tournament at tornelo.com.
The 12-year-old Cu, a grade six pupil of Xavier School, ended up in a three way-tie for first with Gabriel Ryan Paradero and Jaymiel Piel in this 2-day event (March 27 to 28, 2021), co-hosted and co-sponsored by Marinduque Board Member Engr. John Pelaez and Engr. Verlie Quindoza, organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines headed by it’s Chairman/President Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. thru the initiative of NCFP Assistant Executive Director Southern Luzon Dr. Alfredo “Fred” Paez.
Cu, the former Singapore National Age group runner-up place, emerged with the highest tie break score to claim the crown.
Paradero ended up second while Piel finished third.
The San Juan City resident Cu scored victories over Yash Ansell Cayabyab in the first round, Yosef Immanuel Morada in the second round and Pat Ferdolf Macabulos in the third round before beating Narzabal in the seventh and last round.
He split the point with Vincent Ryu Dimayuga in the fourth round, Gabriel Ryan Paradero in the fifth round and Oshrie Jhames Reyes in the sixth round.
Rounding up to the top 10 finishers were Reyes (4th), Macabulos (5th), Davin Sean Romualdez (6th), Jian Carlo Rivera (7th), Dimayuga (8th), Narzabal (9th) and Aaron Francis De Asas (10th).
In photo are, from left, Chooks-to-Go founder/BAVI president boss Ronald Mascariñas, Filipino whiz kid Ivan Travis Cu of San Juan City and National Chess Federation of the Philippines Chairman/President Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr.