SECONDARY girls chess player Mary Joy Tan of Jasaan, Misamis Oriental became the most dominant player in the recent Northern Mindanao Regional Meet chess competition in Tubod, Lanao del Norte by sweeping the golds in standard and blitz categories.
Dan Rave Diaz of Valencia City, Bukidnon won the gold in secondary boys standard event, while Jake Sabordo of Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School (MOGCHS) lorded it over in blitz event.
In elementary division, the El Salvador City bets Keith Ilar and Cassey Tabamo reigned in standard and blitz chess rivalries, respectively. While the bemedalled Ruelle “Tawing” Canino of Cagayan de Oro and Bea Comaingking of Bukidnon shared the honors in standard and blitz skirmishes atop the 64-square-board.
However, tournament arbiter Angelito Felisilda said that only Mary Joy Tan of Misamis Oriental, Lynn Jael Maureal of Bukidnon, Clyde Harris Saraos and David Rey Ancheta of Cagayan de Oro and the elementary’s Keith Ilar and Cassey Tabamo of El Salvador City, Tawing Canino of Cagayan de Oro and Bea Comaingking of Bukidnon have qualified to represent North Mindanao chess in the Palarong Pambansa to be held early next year in Mindoro.
“Winning the gold is not an assurance to qualify in the Palaro since they combined the player’s results in blitz and standards events. Meaning, we can send our Palaro qualifiers who were only bronze winners in the regional level. I agree that something must be done to evaluate our takes on this matter because it may not be the fairest qualifying format, logically,” opined Department of Education chess consultant James Infiesto.