Third-seed Christian Mendoza of Antipolo City was crowned champion in the GMG Youth Challenge Rapid Chess tournament held at Rockwell Business Center, Mandaluyong City over the weekend. Mendoza scored 6.5 points in the 7-round Swiss System format competition for players 15 years old and below. He received PHP5,000 in cash and a medal. “I knew that this was a tough tournament with all the players. I just tried to play my best and now I am really happy,” said the 15-year-old in an interview on Sunday. Mendoza, a Grade 10 student from Antipolo National High School, defeated Xian Aiken Cuartero (Calamba City, Laguna), Delia Marie Penaverde (Manila), Lira Placer (Angeles City, Pampanga), Jude Angelo Dableo (Manila), Allan Gabriel Hilario (Manila), and Woman National Master Jersey Marticio (Cabuyao City, Laguna); and split the points with National Master Oshrie James Reyes (Sta. Rita, Pampanga) in the seventh round of the tournament sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines. Jian Carlo Rivera (Rodriguez, Rizal), NM Al-Basher Buto (Cainta, Rizal), Hilario, Jeanne Marie Arcinue (Legaspi, Albay), and Reyes all scored 6.0 points, while top seed FM Christian Gian Karlo Arca (Dasmariñas, Cavite) and AIM Gabriel Ryan Paradero (Pasig City) registered 5.5 points.

Source: Philippines News Agency