by Marlon Bernardino
After winning the 2020 National Age Group Chess Championships - Visayas Leg (Under 14 Girls) held in SM Seaside Cebu City last January 3 to 5, 2020, country's youngest Woman Fide Master Antonella Berthe "Tonelle" Murillo Racasa is set to try her luck in the University of the Philippines-Alpha Phi Omega-Patinikan Invitational Chess Tournament this coming February 24, 2020 at the UP Diliman Campus in Quezon City.
" I hope to do well in this event," said the 12 year old Racasa, a grade 6 pupil of VCIS - Home School Global, the country's representative in this year's World Youth Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship slated from April 12-16, 2020 in Heraklion, Creta, Greece.
It shall be recalled that Racasa won the 19th ASEAN International Age Group Chess Championship held last June 2018 in Davao City. She bagged the gold medal in the standard competition and at the same time captured the coveted WFM title for her effort. Thus, Racasa became the country's youngest WFM at the age of 11.
Her campaign locally and internationally were supported by D. Edgard A. Cabangon of ALC group of companies, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairman Andrea D. Domingo, Honorable Mayor Menchie Abalos and Councilor Charisse Abalos- Vargas of Mandaluyong City, Engr. Rogelio SP Lim, President of RSP Lim Construction Co Inc. Owner and developer of Boni Tower, Immediate Past President of Makati Med Mam Rose Montenegro and Mam Jean Altobano of Multimodal Security and Investigation Agency Inc.
Other notable masters participating in the 1 day event jointly organized by NCFP director Raymond Linsangan and IM Ronald Bancod are 13-times Philippine Open champion GM Rogelio "Joey" Antonio, WGM Janelle Frayna, IMs Hamed Nouri, Ronald Dableo, Roel Abelgas, Yves Ranola, Rolando Nolte, Chito Garma, Daniel Quizon, Michael Concio, Eric Labog, FMs Christopher Castellano, Leonardo Carlos and Randy Segarra, NM Nick Nisperos, US Master Jojo Aquino and CM Christopher Rodriguez.-Marlon Bernardino-