King’s Gambit streak in chess tournaments continues

Players under the King's Gambit Online Chess School continue to shine in major chess tournaments all over the country.

In Angeles City, King's Gambit players Stephen Quinto and Jeremy Marticio placed third and fourth respectively in the juniors division even as Woman National Master Antonella Berthe Racasa and John Kristoff Bautista walked away as the top girls under-16 and boys under-8 players, respectively at the Angeles Chess Festival held over the weekend at the MarQuee Mall.

Stephen Quinto, Woman National Master Antonella Berthe Racasa and Tiv Omangay

Gian Mandagan, meanwhile, finished at number two in the boys under-14 and and Marco Sanido ranked third in the boys under-8 categories.

In Davao, seven-year-old Art Joe Capatan was impressive as he finished the tournament tied for first place in an U14 tournament after scoring 6.0 points out of seven games but barely missed the title after the tie-break was applied.

At the Philippine Amateur Chess Championships, an online chess tournament held via the Tornelo platform, National Master Keith Adriane Ilar and Michael Jan Inigo made good accounts of themselves by scoring 6.0 points in eight games to finish in the top 15.

Ilar and Inigo will also advance to the grand finals of the amateur tournament backed by Atty. Norieva “Nikki” de Vega, the legal counsel of the National Chess Federation of the Philippine (NCFP) under the leadership its chairman and president Rep. Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr.

“I'm so happy the winning streak of the team continues. Talent abounds in our program and we're all about improving and developing. We will not stop training until we reach our goals,” said coach Richard Villaseran, founder of King's Gambit's Online Chess School.

Villaseran, himself, played well at the Grandparents Day Open Rapid Chess Tournament in Cubao, Quezon City on Saturday, September 9, as he scored 6.0 points in seven rounds.

Villaseran is currently gearing up his young players such as National Masters Al-Basher Buto, Tenshi Biete, Karlycris Clarito and John Cyrus Borce and Woman National Master Jersey Marticio for the national and ASEAN age-group chess tournaments.

The other players of King's Gambit include Christian Mendoza, Pat Ferdolf Macabulos, Vincent Ryu Dimayuga, Lord Yofiel Young, Chester Acuyong, Summer Oncita, Muellene Babao, Aron Toledo, Andrew Toledo, Joriel Yap, Lester Jones Paruli, Marcus Paruli, Mark Benson Sollano, Zed Silva, Alexandro Desepeda, Anne Gwyneth Villaseran, Cielo Beatriz Villaseran, Enzo Hernandez, Jayden Tibig, Ynigo Baydo, Nathan Laggui, Joseph Morillo, Gabby Fomosdoro, Albert Omangay, John Luis Rivera, John Kristoff Bautista, Art Joe Capatan, Elijah Loyola, Axel Buenaventura, Juancho Joaquin Ferrer, Juancho Ferrer, Magnus Bragais, Charlee Manjanares, Caylee Reyes, Janina Rivera, Janine Rivera and Ferna Macabulos.