Paolo Jerome Barandon, a 16-year-old member of the Milo Checkmate team, finished third in the unrated division of the recent Las Vegas International Chess Festival at Westgate Las Vegas Hotel in Nevada.
The La Salle-Canlubang student posted 11 wins against four losses and three draws to finish with 12.5 points and wind up as the best performer among the players sent by Milo Checkmate to the annual event.
Jet Miguel Mendoza, a 17-year-old from Tagkawayan, Quezon, scored 3.5 points after seven rounds in the 1900 below category.
Also finishing with 3.5 points was 16-year-old John Andrei Abrantes of Meycauayan, Bulacan, in the unrated section. Kezia Ligutan, 13, of Muntinlupa tallied 3 points after six rounds while 11-year-old Santino Ezekiel Abrantes won his final match.
The players’ stint was part of the ongoing year-round program of the Milo Checkmate Chess Clinics organized by the Metropolitan Chess Club (MCC) since 1990.