Chess players as young as five to seven years old competed for the regional competition, the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA), marking a fresh start for the competitive scene.
Players who made it to the championship and second place of the Cebu City Olympics will face tougher competition that will further test their chess-playing ability. Kevin Yap, co-founder of Cebu School of Chess, said that once they win, they will face even tougher opponents. If they win the CVIRAA competition, they can play for the Palarong Pambansa, which is considered the top-tier among all chess competitions. The players who are considered the “best-of-the-best” will have a chance to represent the entirety of the Philippines, provided that they win against Cebu and Central Visayas’ best.
On April 1, the champions and second placers were categorized from elementary to secondary levels from different schools who will be qualified to compete for the CVIRAA. The qualifiers for the elementary division are Loisse Antonette Lozada (University of Cebu), Cherry Rose Cabarles (Talamban Elementary School), Lex Padayao (Mabolo Elementary School) and Rico Mascariñas Jr. (San Nicolas Elementary School).
For the secondary division, players from the University of Cebu (UC) bagged the qualifying round for the competition. John Dave Lavandero, Luke Symon Lozada, Edelyn Vosotros and Glydel Janine Rodrigo defied the odds in winning against their opponents during the said competition.
Before the Cebu City Olympics event, young sports athletes underwent rigorous training under their personal coaches and family members to fully prepare them to exhibit true sportsmanship.
Kim Steven Yap, a licensed trainer of the World Chess Federation, encouraged chess players to participate in tournaments, starting from small and local events, to improve their skills and gain the chance to become a master and a grandmaster in the future.
Although the Cebuano youngsters experienced a difficult matchup, considering that these are their first time after the halt of the chess competitions, Lavandero, the champion from the UC, expressed that he will train more since his skills are still not enough.
According to Padayao, the champion from Mabolo Elementary School, analyzing his opponent and being careful of what they might do during the match is a big must since he does not really know what they are thinking.
“Do not let your guard down. Your enemy has a lot of potential.”
The players repeatedly emphasized the importance of practice and learning from their mistakes, which can help them improve in future games. Playing tournaments regularly is a big leap towards confidence in playing and facing opponents.
The 30th Cebu City Olympics’ Chess Tournament was a success for the young athletes, promising quality-driven competitions in the future and giving other aspiring chess players a chance to play for the nationals.