NEWLY-CROWNED 6th Carmen Open Class B champion Adrian Othniel Yulo of Xavier University High School and the Canino siblings lead the local bets’ quest for honors in the Northern Mindanao leg of the 23rd Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship.
The 14-year-old Yulo, who also made it to the top-10 list of the Carmen Open’s Class A level, vies for the national slot at stake in the junior division for 13 to 16 years old as well as brothers Romeo and Ronald Canino of Little Me Academy.
Their younger sister, Ruelle “Tawing” Canino of Kauswagan Elementary School is among the favorites of the talented girls competing in the 7 to 12 years old category.
“Tawing just won some medals in the Asean Chess Fest. This little girl is really good; we hope that she will excel again,” said trainer Jaime Joshua Frias II.
The Northern Mindanao leg serves as the first of two tournaments in the region as Pilipinas Shell recognizes the wide base of talents and chess enthusiasts in Mindanao that had Shell chess events drawing record number of participants in the past.
The Southern Mindanao leg is set from Aug. 8 to 9 at SM City in Davao. (LLS)