Kassie Nuñez and Franchesca Largo top respective categories at ASEAN+ age group chess tournament – BusinessWorld Online
KASSIE NUÑEZ and Franchesca Largo ruled their respective categories in the standard division of the 3rd ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships in Penang, Malaysia on Tuesday.
Ms. Nuñez, a seven-year-old wonder girl from Bicol, drew with Vietnamese Nguyen Duc Huyen My in the ninth and final round and then edged another Vietnam bet Ngu Phuong Linh vie tiebreak when they ended up tied at first with 7.5 points apiece in the girls’ Under-8 class.
For Ms. Largo, a Sta. Rosa native and a student of Olympiad veteran Shania Mae Mendoza, she topped the premier U20 section to claim the Woman FIDE Master (FM) title and a Woman International Master (IM) norm.
Interestingly, both Mmess. Nuñez and Largo joined the Philippine Academy for Chess Excellence before leaving for Penang last week.
In the rapid division, Filipino FMs Christian Gian Karlo Arca and Mark Bacojo downed their respective foes to share the lead with Vietnam’s FM Nguyen Quoc Hy with perfect three points in this seven-round side event.
Chess Notes: IM Michael Concio, Jr. walloped Alan Morris-Suzuki of Malaysia in the eighth and penultimate round to virtually rule the Bangkok Summer International Chess Open in Thailand. — Joey Villar
