WFM Ruelle “Tawing” Canino won the premier Under-18 Open standard division of the National Age Group Chess Championships held 15th March 2025 at the FPJ Arena in San Jose, Batangas, Philippines.
The 16-year-old Cagayan de Oro-born racked up 6 wins and 2 draws to finish on top after 8 rounds with 7.0 points. With her win, she earned a slot in the 2025 Asian Youth Chess Championship to be held on November 20 to 30 in Bangkok, Thailand.
It was another feat for Canino, one of the top players of the multi-titled FEU chess team who topped the national women’s championship over older, more experienced masters and then beat three Women Grandmasters in helping seal the national team a historic Group II gold medal in last year’s Budapest Olympiad. Canino was UAAP juniors MVP.
She defeated Juncin Estrella (round 1), NM Michael Jan Stephen Inigo (round 2), Yuri Lei Paraguya (round 3), NM Phil Martin Casiguran (round 4) and FM Christian Gian Karlo Arca (round 5) and Lemmuel Jay Adena (round 6).
She split the points with Stephen Zane Quinto (round 7) and NM Karlycris Clarito Jr. (round 8).
Other division winners were WFM April Joy Claros (girls 18) WNM Kaye Lalaine Regidor (girls U16), Nm Mark Gabriel Usman (open U16), Soffia Joy Mamangun (girls U14), Christian Tolosa (open U14), Khana Kathrine Ventolero (girls U12), Steve Zacky Bolico (open U12), Faith Louise Dorupa (girls U10), and Danry Seth Romualdez (open U10).
The rapid and blitz titles of this four-day event were sponsored by CoinEx and backed by host Mayor Ben Patron and Congressman Mark Lester Patron, the Philippine Sports Commission and NCFP.-Marlon Bernardino-