Ruelle Canino to test chess mettle in European tour

MANILA, Philippines – Teenage sensation Ruelle Canino will leave soon to wade into the deep and murky waters of the European chess circuit where she hopes to pursue her dream of becoming the country’s next Woman Grandmaster.

The 16-year-old reigning national women’s champion will participate in the HZ University of Applied Sciences Chess Tournament slated August 3-10 in Vlissingen, the Netherlands; the Dortmund Open set August 10-18 in Germany; and the Open Internacional D’escacs Santis-Ciutat de Barcelona scheduled August 23 to September 1 in Spain.

It will also serve as part of her preparation for the Asian Indoor and Martial Games slated this November in Thailand and the FIDE World Chess Olympiad set September 10-23 in Budapest, Hungary.

In Vlissingen, the Far Eastern University star, will join fellow national team mainstays WGM Janelle Mae Frayna, whom the former would like to emulate, and Woman International Master Jan Jodilyn Fronda, who left the country recently for a tournament in Switzerland.

“She will use this European tour to become a WGM and improve her game just like Janelle (Frayna) did when she was then pursuing the WGM title,” said national women’s team coach and NCFP CEO GM Jayson Gonzales, whose trip is funded by the Philippine Sports Commission.

Canino and the lean but mean delegation will then fly back to the country September 3 and then will leave the country a few days later alongside the rest of the Philippine squad, including the GM Eugene Torre-coached men’s team for Budapest where they will battle the world’s best.