In a stunning display of resilience and talent, two young Filipino chess prodigies, Ruelle Canino and Mark Jay Bacojo, defied all odds to claim podium finishes at the 6th ASEAN Individual Chess Championships—a feat that has left the chess world buzzing with excitement. But here’s where it gets even more remarkable: both players were seeded far below their competitors, yet they managed to outmaneuver seasoned opponents and secure their places in the spotlight.
Held at the Asenso Misamis Occidental Resort and Aquamarine Park in Ozamiz, Philippines, the tournament saw Canino, just 17 years old and seeded 13th out of 37 participants, clinch second place in the women’s division. Meanwhile, Bacojo, 19, seeded 24th out of 4 entrants in the premier open section, grabbed the third spot. Their achievements are not just personal victories but also a testament to the growing prowess of Filipino chess on the international stage.
And this is the part most people miss: Canino’s performance earned her an automatic Woman International Master (WIM) title and a Woman Grandmaster (WGM) norm, while Bacojo secured an International Master (IM) title. For Canino, the reigning national women’s champion, this tournament was a game-changer. Her rating soared by an astonishing 99.6 points, pushing her past the 2200-rating milestone for the first time in her promising career.
Both players, students at Far Eastern University, credited their success to the unwavering support of their school’s board chair, Aurelio “Gigi” Montinola, and athletic director, Mark Molina. “This is for our country and for everyone who believed in us from the beginning,” Canino humbly stated, highlighting the collective effort behind her triumph.
Canino’s journey to the podium included a 56-move Queen’s Gambit draw against Mongolian WIM Batpelden Buyankhishig, finishing with 6.5 points—just half a point behind the eventual champion, Russian IM Evgenija Ovod. Bacojo, on the other hand, held his ground in a grueling 71-move Sicilian draw against Mongolian IM Munkhdalai Amilal, securing six points and the bronze medal.
Here’s where it gets controversial: Canino’s second-place finish was part of a three-way tie with Russia’s top seed Woman FIDE Master Anna Zhurova and Indonesia’s WIM Laysa Latifah. Similarly, Bacojo found himself in a three-player tie for third with Amilal and Indian IM Kamotra Soham. Both Filipinos emerged victorious in tiebreaks, but this raises the question: Do tiebreaks truly determine the ‘better’ player, or is there room for a more nuanced evaluation in chess tournaments?
As we celebrate Canino and Bacojo’s achievements, it’s worth pondering the future of Filipino chess. With such young talent rising through the ranks, how far can the Philippines go on the global chess stage? And what role does institutional support play in nurturing these prodigies? Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s keep the conversation going!
