Friday, June 28, 2013

Pestaño: John Velarde and new Cepca members

Chessmoso
Thursday, June 27, 2013

THE future of Philippine chess is as bright as the super moon of a few days ago. Meet John Jerish Velarde, the six-year-old Cebuano chess prodigy.
He was born on Aug. 13, 2006 to proud parents Edilberto Velarde and Maria Juby Dalde and resides in Lapu-Lapu City.
He gained his chess experience playing in tournaments like Milo, Shell and other local tournaments.
On the National level, he won the 8-Under Age group chess championship in Gen. Santos City last Jan. 31 to Feb. 3 with six wins in six games.
In the Luzon leg in Malolos City, Bulacan, he was also undefeated in seven games. He also qualified to be a member of the Philippine 8-Under in an elimination tournament in Taguig City last April 6-14.
In the last Asean Age Group Championship 8-Under held in Thailand last June 5-13, the Philippine team won two gold medals--Standard and Blitz--and a silver in Rapid. The other members of the team are Alekhine Nouri, and Manuel Concio Jr. Other countries who competed were China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia , Mongolia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
John’s coaches are Peterson Sia, Rigel Amacna and NM Leonardo Alidani.
Cepca gained several new members the past two months under our “Road to 100 members program.”
Jerry Maratas is a Civil/Structural engineer and owner of Jemar Engineering Services which specializes in structural analysis and design of buildings.
He is also a faculty member of the University of San Carlos and a former reviewer of Civil Engineering at the Besavilla Review Center.
Jerry is 34 years old and is married to Engr. Leiz Klade Maglasang.
He learned chess from his father at eight and also played at USC during intramurals.
Other hobbies include tennis, boxing, basketball, billiards and biking.
Another new member is Peterson Sia, whom I have known for a long time being a chess fanatic like me. He is a businessman, coach and instructor (taught Jerish Velarde). He has been playing chess for 27 years and was the champion of the Lapu-Lapu Open several times.
He was a Gold medalist in the 2009 Inter-cities and Municipalities held in Tarlac, He also wrote a chess column for several years with NM Loloy Ruelan (grandfather of IM Kimkim Yap) “Chess for fun and relaxation.”
There are three new members from the Philippine Air Force—Amado Olea, John Caiboy and Cris Lim.
Staff Sargeant Amado Olea is assigned at 205 Tactical Helicopter Wing in Lapu-Lapu City . He was the champion in the 2009 Lapu-Lapu Fiesta tournament in 2009 and runner-up in 2010.
This Sunday will be a big event for him as he is will be married in a mass wedding sponsored by the Philippine Air force in all air force bases throughout the country.
Cristopher Lim is a Medical Service Specialist and a Staff Sergeant assigned at Mactan Air Base, He is a graduate of Bachelor of Computer Science in 2002 and played chess during his student days.
Among his achievements are gold medals during his third year and fourth year high school and in the Mactan Air Base Summer League. He was also a bronze medalist in the Philippine Air force Inter-wing National Tournament.
John Caiboy is assigned at Ormoc City and has a BSCE degree, and still single at 30 .
Big tournament. The Engr. Blas Hipulan tournament starts today at 1 p.m. in Deep Blue at SM City. The format is 9 rounds Swiss with a time control of 25 mins per player.
Registration is P350 and P200 for kiddies.
Prizes total P100,000 with P40,000 going to the champion. The second and third placers will get P20,000 and P10,000, respectively. e organizers are expecting a record number of entries including GM Richard Bitoon, who came all the way from Manila.
(boypestano@gmail.com,www.chessmoso.blogspot.com)

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