.JPG "Philippine chess wunderkind eight-year-old Clark Jemuel Cabatian (center), a grade 3 pupil of John Isabel Learning Center Inc. in General Trias City, Cavite collected 4 points in six outings to claim 9th place honor in the 9 under out of 49 players.")
OLONGAPO CITY---Dasmariñas City's pride Justine Diego Mordido and Philippine Sportswriters Association awardee Al-Basher Buto spearheaded the champions in the recently held Mayor's Cup Invitational Standard Age Group Chess Championships last Sunday at the Gordon College in Tapinac, Olongapo City here.
Mordido, one of the country’s top bets and a product of Dasmariñas Chess Academy put up by Dasmariñas City mayor Elpidio "Pidi" Barzaga Jr., and national coach International Master Roel Abelgas finished with 5.5 points on account of five wins and a draw to claim the U15 category.
Buto, the pride of Cainta, Rizal, the 2017 Pahang, Malaysia Asian Age Group Chess Championship multi-gold medalist and 2017 Panjin, China Asian Schools Chess Championships gold medalist, had a more impressive showing. He finished with an unblemished slate in the U9 category with perfect six points.
Sharing the limelight with Mordido and Buto to the top performers in each age group in the two-day chessfest organized by Joel Villanueva and assisted by tournament director Alexander "Alex" Dinoy and chief arbiter Lito Abril were John Philip Oncita (U18), Robert James Perez (U12 Boys) and April Joy Claros (U12 Girls).-Marlon Bernardino-