Monday, June 25, 2018

Racasa leads Filipino chessers' title run at ASEAN+ tourney

On Sunday night, Antonella Berthe Racasa claimed the standard girls Under-12 title in the ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships that took place at the Royal Mandaya Hotel.

Racasa did her part by beating ertswhile co-leader Roilanne Marie Alonzo in the ninth and final round to finish with 6.5 points, whilst fellow co-leaders in Vietnamese pawn pushers Bui Ngoc Phuong Nghi, Nguyen Hoang Tha Ngoc, and Nguyen Phuc Yen Nhi were unable to match her win on the final round to give her the division and a Woman FIDE Master title.

Bui lost to compatriot Nguyen Thi Mai Lan, while Nguyen Hoang drew with Kimberly Colaste and Nguyen Phuc drew with Francesca Lagro.

The 11-year old from San Roque, Marikina finished half-a-point ahead of Nguyen Thi, Nguyen Hoang, and Nguyen Phoc in this event, which is organized by Chess Events International, sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, bankrolled by the Philippines Sports Commission, and backed by the Davao City local government.

To escape with the victory, she ended her tourney by snatching three wins and a draw in the last four rounds, which included an eight round win over the top-seeded Bui, bucking losses in two of the first four rounds.

Antonella, is the daughter of Robert, who is the father of memory sports in the Philippines, credits her father in helping her win the title, sharing that he "taught me to always never give up and always stand up when I fall."

Securing title wins as well as International Master Paulo Bersamina and WFM Shania Mendoza in their respective Under-20 divisions, Dale Bernardo in the Under-18 division, Ronald Canino in the Open Under-16 division and Kaye Lalaine Regidor in the Under-10 girls' division.

Bersamina drew with fellow IM John Marvin Miciano to end his campaign at 7.5 points, while the Olympiad-bound Mendoza bested Laila Camel Nadera to also end up at 7.5 points. Aside from the title, she also secures a WIM title and a WGM norm in the process.

Bernardo drew with Aeron Keife Charles Sinining to end his campaign with seven points, which matches the total of FEU standout John Merill Jacutina, who defeated Le Nguyen Khoi Nguyen in the final round. However, Jacutina lost to Bernardo in the second round to lose the tiebreaker.

Canino also ended up tied atop his division alongside Vietnamese pawn pushers Pham Phu Vinh and Bui Duc Huy, but had the superior tiebreaks to claim the win and the FM title.

Regidor beat Mecel Angela Gadut in the final round to claim her division with seven points.

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