Nouri rules rapid event in Asian Juniors Chess tilt

MANILA, Philippines — Alekhine Nouri gave the Philippines something to be proud of after he topped the rapid event of the Asian Juniors Chess Championships at the Citrus Hotel in Waskaduwa, Sri Lanka Thursday.

The 19-year-old FIDE Master and two-time national juniors champion was all business in demolishing Indian International Master Kashish Manoj Jain in the seventh and last round to snare the gold.

Nouri, who was named after former world champion Alexander Alekhine, finished undefeated with 6.5 points on six victories and a draw and should be the player to watch out for in the blitz section that opened Friday.

The UAAP blitz Most Valuable from University of Santo Tomas, whose campaign was bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission through commissioner Ed Hayco, is also eyeing a GM norm in the premier standard category unfurling today.

Making it a double triumph for the country was John Jerish Velarde, who bagged the bronze following a shock win over No. 2 pick IM S Aswath of India.

Velarde actually ended up joint second with India FM Mahendru Jaiveer but the latter took the silver after emerging with the higher tiebreaker.

Samantha Umayan, the country’s lone representative in the girls’ side, missed out on a podium finish after succumbing to Kazakhstan’s Zhanbota Kamarova and Sri Lankan J M Theruni V Jayasudara and wound up 19th of 70 with four points.