FEU woodpushers shine in 16th Mid Valley City Malaysia Chess Challenge 2023
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 05 Sep 2023
MANILA---THE Far Eastern University (FEU) Chess Team students proved their mettle over the weekend at the 16th Mid Valley City Malaysia Chess Challenge 2023.
The Tamaraw woodpushers carved a modest finish in a tournament dominated by the country’s finest young athletes held at the Cititel Midvalley, Midvalley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from August 28 to September 3.
The 9-Round Swiss System FIDE rated tournament, organized by the Malaysian Chess Federation dubbed as Merdeka Chess Festival, gathered 206 competing players from 12 countries such as Brunei Darussalam, China, England, Indonesia, India, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Sri Langka, and Thailand.
FEU's woodpushers swept the podium, bringing home the gold, silver, and bronze medals.
UAAP Season 85 MVP National Master (NM) Christian Marcelo Olaybal leading the charge for the Filipino athetes.
The pride of Binangonan, Rizal, defeated Al Mubarok Jalaludin and Simanjuntak Morado of Indonesia in the last two rounds to win the championship title with a solid 8 points out of 9.
Not to be outdone, National Master (NM) Franklin Loyd Andes from Bicol, Albay, clinched the second-place spot, having the highest tiebreak among 7.5 pointers.
The female chess contingent of FEU also made their presence felt in this male-dominated sport. Youngest among the Tamaraws’ delegates, the 15-year-old Woman National Master (WNM) Ruelle Canino of Cagayan De Oro, wins 3rd with another 7.5 performance in the overall standings, showcasing her remarkable chess acumen.
Woman National Master (WNM) Vic Glysen Derotas from Cebu City, and Lemmuel Jay Adena from Caloocan City also made their mark, securing the 8th and 10th positions, respectively, in the Challengers category.
Meanwhile, National Master (NM) Oscar Joseph Cantela of General Trias, Cavite took the gold medal in Open 16-under in Rapid Age-Group Chess Championship last August 27, and silver medal on Board 1 in SMS Deen Merdeka Open Rapid Team Chess Championship last August 25-26.
FEU’s female reserve, Arleah Cassandra Sapuan of Valencia, Negros Oriental also toppled with gold medal for U-16 Girls Division in Merdeka Day Age-Group on August 31.
It is during this year's Merdeka Chess Festival that FEU has sent the most number of delegates with a total of 16 players from High School Boys and Girls and College Men and Women.
One of the most remarkable aspects of FEU's chess program is its commitment to nurturing young talents, fostering a lifelong love for the game and instilling values such as discipline, strategic thinking, and sportsmanship. Their success in Malaysia is not an isolated incident but the result of years of training, unwavering support, and a culture of excellence. FEU's program is designed to inspire and develop the chess champions of the future.
This international campaign is made possible through the guidance of FEU head coach GM Jayson Gonzales. Likewise, the invaluable efforts of people behind FEU’s program led by the unwavering efforts of FEU Athletics Director, Mr. Mark Molina, and the support from Dr. Armi Cunanan-Yabut, the Executive Director of FEU Diliman. We also extend our sincere gratitude to the generosity from FEU Chairman, Mr. Aurelio 'Gigi' Montinola, and FEU President, Mr. Juan Miguel Montinola.-Marlon Bernardino-
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