Kwok, Olar, Galve head US-bound Milo team

Seeded players Malcolm Kwok, Claudio Olar Jr. and Carmella Galve banner the Milo Checkmate team’s campaign in the Las Vegas International Chess Festival slated on June 4-7 at South Point Hotel in Las Vegas.

Joining the three are Paul Adrian Manila of Montessori de Manila-Las Piñas, Gino Divino Cabual of Col. E. de Leon Elem. School and six-year-old Stephen Rome Pangilinan of Golden Children Academy, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, the youngest to make the team.

Manila halved the point with Nazario Aliwalas in 45 moves of a Ruy Lopez variation to rule the juniors division and gain the first of the three contested final slots.

On the other hand, Cabual earned the second final slot following his victory over Romel Onggue of Tuguegarao in 45 moves of a Sicilian Najdorf and ruled the 12-under division.

Pangilinan nailed his fifth straight victory over John Timothy Garcia in 50 moves using the Hungarian Defense to rule the 10-under division and grabbed the third and last final berth.

This age-group event is organized yearly by Metropolitan Chess Club to give promising and deserving Milo Checkmate kids the chance to gain exposure abroad at an early age.