Canino and Quizon will represent Philippines at World Cup in Georgia

MANY-TIME national women’s chess champion Janelle Mae Frayna has given up her chance of returning to the World Cup to the one that she knows has a strong opportunity of becoming a Woman Grandmaster (WGM) like herself someday.

That one is Ruelle Canino.

The 16-year-old Far Eastern University standout from Cagayan de Oro was nominated by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) to represent the country in the World Cup set July 5 to July 29 in Batumi, Georgia.

It came to the fore thanks to the recommendation of the country’s first and only WGM.

“As the consistent No. 1 player in the country for a decade, WGM Janelle requested NCFP that WFM (Woman FIDE Master) Ruelle (Canino) should play in the World Cup for a possibility for her to attain the WGM title,” said NCFP Chief Executive Officer and GM Jayson Gonzales on Wednesday.

Ms. Canino has talent to live up to high expectations bestowed on her by Ms. Frayna, one of the former’s mentors, and the NCFP after she topped the national women’s championships a year ago over a field that included the latter.

She was also part of the team that delivered the country a historic gold medal in Group B of the World Chess Olympiad last year in Budapest, Hungary where she pulled the rug from under fancied foes including WGMs Claudia Amura of Argentina and Carmen Voicu-Jagodzinsky of Romania.

“Let’s support Ruelle (Canino) in her first World Cup,” said Ms. Frayna.

GM Daniel Quizon will be the country’s representative in the men’s World Cup slated Oct. 31 to Nov. 27 at a still undetermined venue in India. — Joey Villar