Bountiful harvest in Asean+ chess
MANILA, Philippines — Five-year-old Filipina Jodiel Chloe Banawa needed to solicit money to fund her trip to Singapore for the 24th ASEAN+ Age Group Championships.
It was all worth it.
The native from Alicia, Isabela swept all her three events – the standard, rapid and blitz – in the girls’ Under-6 to emerge the best Filipino finisher in the 10-day event that drew 672 participants.
In blitz, Banawa, whose father International Master Joel did the solicitations, went perfect as she swept all her eight games. It came after she topped both standard and rapid in succession.
While it didn’t earn her a FIDE title, it earned her a distinction as the first Filipina to rule the division.
Iana Angela Sotaridona reigned in the girls’ U16 standard to clinch a FIDE Master title while FM Arlan Cabe earned a direct IM title after reigning supreme in the seniors’ 50 years old class.
Also ruling their categories were Efren Bagamasbad (rapid S65), IM Michael Concio, Jr. (rapid, challenger and premier), Keith Adrianne Ilar (blitz U16) and Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales (blitz S50).
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