Young Filipino chess aces bag 7 Asean golds

SINGAPORE—The Philippine chess team cornered seven gold medals at the close of the standard event yesterday, and expects to win more in the rapid and blitz competitions starting today in the 16th Asean Age Group Chess Championships at Nanyang Technological University campus here.

Woman International Master Bernadette Galas, Woman Fide Master Shania Mae Mendoza, WFM Alaney Jia Doroy, Mhage Sebastian, Stephen Rome Pangilinan and NM Alex Milagrosa also triumphed even as the Philippines also bagged 13 silvers and 15 bronzes.

Galas drew with Vietnam’s Tran Le Dan Thuy to finish with 7.5 points, half a point ahead of Sagar Tejaswini of India, who beat Vietnamese WFM Nguyen Thi Thuy Trien.

Galas, WIM Janelle Mae Frayna and WFM Antoinette San Diego combined for 19.5 points to give the Philippines the team gold.

Mendoza copped the girls’ Under-18 title and led her team to the silver medal with 15 points, half a point behind the Vietnamese.

Doroy shared the gold with Tran Thi Hong Phan of Vietnam with similar 7.0 totals.

Other Filipino victors were Pangilinan in the Under-14 and Milagrosa in the seniors’ class.