GOOD strategy will be the key for young chess wizard Bea Mendoza as she vies for top honors in the World Youth Chess Championships (WYCC) in South Africa this October.
The 12 year-old chess princess from the University of Baguio will take the long route and targets new records as she represents the Philippines in the 14-under girls division before her scheduled flight to India for the ASEAN Youth Championships 2014.
“I envision myself as a grandmaster in the future. With these opportunities of competing in international tournaments I feel like they serve as a stepping stone in fulfilling my dreams,” The reigning girls 14 under regional chess champion said.
Mendoza played vital cog in her age group category helping the country to a second place finish behind Vietnam in the 15th Asean+ Age Group Championship 2014 held June 3-11 in Macau, China after earning herself two silver medals from the team standard and team rapid chess competition including one bronze scaled from the team blitz contest.
Mendoza will be joined by fellow UB student Brylle Gever Vinluan as they banner the national flag in India this November.
Vinluan, who was also Batang Pinoy Nationals 2014 chess champion, capped three gold mints in the 15th Asean+ Age Group Championship after lording in the individual rapid chess, team rapid chess, and team blitz contest.
During the ASEAN+, Vinluan made life miserable for the top woodpushers from Vietnam as they took the gold in rapid and blitz chess and a silver in the standard chess. Alongside the gold of Vinluan and Kyle Sevillano in the rapid chess, the third member in the RP squad, Daryl Unix Samantila, topped the blitz contest.
The eighth grader Vinluan, also topped the 16-under boys division during the National Selection of the Asian Youth Championship held previously in Manila earlier in May.
The two future FIDE masters, earned their berth as part of the Philippine Team after a stellar performance in the 2014 National Age Group Chess Championship Grand Finals held in Quezon Province earlier in April.
Vietnam topped 23 other nations with 57 gold, 46 silver and 26 bronze medals, while Philippines clinched the second spot with 35-41-17 haul. Singapore is a distant third with 13-7-20 whereas the rest of the team standing shows: Indonesia (4- 4-4); China (4-3-4); Malaysia (3-5-15); Russia (1-0-1); Mongolia (0-1-2); India (0-1-1); Laos (0-0-2) and New Zealand (0-0-1).