Salcedo shares Asean spotlight

TWELVE-YEAR-old sensation Paulo Bersamina proved that his winning of the Philippine junior chess championship in Davao City was no fluke.  

This, after Bersamina swept the gold medals (standard, rapid and blitz events) at stake in 12-under boys category of the 11th Asean Age-Group chess championships concluded recently at Subic Bay in Olongapo City.

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"I have no doubt in my mind that Bersamina will be the next Wesley So of the Philippines. Proud usab kita nga nagmalamposon ang usa nato ka local talent sa Subic," commented CdeO-Asset chess trainer Lorenzo "Jun" Cuizon, referring to 18-year-old Richelieu Salcedo III. 

A native of Inubolan, Salay, Misamis Oriental, the RTU (Rizal Technology University) Blue Thunder team mainstay Salcedo won the gold in 20-under boys division of the blitz event.  

Salcedo also shared for third place with Fide Master Lo Kin Mun Dominic of Singapore to settle for a bronze in rapid competition, right after a heart-breaking collapse in the final round of the ASEAN's centerpiece event which is the standard (long game) chess championship.   
  
"Blitz is Jong's main forte. Paspas iyang reflexes and it showed up even against foreign rivals," observed National Master Levi Mercado. 
 
Bersamina's three-gold medal romp eventually made him as the winningest Filipino player in the prestigious 10-day chessfest. 

Bersamina, an incoming freshman student of Far Eastern University under coach GM Jayson Gonzales became the most awarded player in the 153-strong Filipino delegation. 

In the nine-round blitz elimination, Bersamina piled up 7 points to head the big 4 round.  

Bersamina then outclassed Pham Anh Trung of Vietnam, 3-1, in the semis and edged Caranyagan, 2.5-.5 in the finals to complete a rare sweep of the individual gold medals. 

Salcedo, on the other hand, finished in a three-way tie for second to fourth places with compatriots Nelson Mariano III and FM Haridas Pascua in the elimination phase with 6.5 points. 

The third-seeded Salcedo slammed the door on Mariano, 3-1, in the semis and beat FM Nguyen Van Hai of Vietnam, 3-0, in the final. The Vietnamese player earned the right to meet Salcedo by ousting Pascua, 2.5-.5 in the semis. 

"Ang predicament sa mga parents of talented chess players mao ang kakulangon sa financial support. With his victory in Subic, nagmalaumon ako nga adunay mga sponsor nga mo-agak kaniya aron mas magmadasigon pa ang iyang chess career," the elder Richelieu Salcedo Sr. told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.  

Aside from the two gold medals by Bersamina and Salcedo, the Flipinos also won three silver and six bronze medals in the blitz competitions. 

Overall, Vietnam bagged the overall championship in the blitz competitions by winning eight golds, seven silvers and three bronzes. The Philippines finished second with a 2-3-6 slate, followed by Indonesia with a 1-0-1 card and Singapore with a 0-1-1 slate. (With MB reports)