Pangasinense kid wins international chess fest

By Mar T. Supnad

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan --A homegrown young chess aficionado recently bagged a gold medal in the Singapore International Chess Festival.

Dennis Guttierez III, a native of San Fabian town and a product of the provincial government’s chess clinic series and a regular participant of the Gov. Amado T. Espino’s (GATE) Cup Chess Tournament, notched the top post after beating JiddanFirman of Indonesia in the finals of the open under-8 category in the Singapore chess tournament.

Espino congratulated the 8-year old chess player for his victory as he thanked him for bringing honor not only for Pangasinan but for the country.

He said the provincial government fully supports chess thus regular chess clinics and tournaments became part of the province’s program on youth and sports development.

Last year, Pangasinan chess players, regular participants of GATE chess tournaments like Dennis Gutierrez, made waves both in national and international chess tournaments with the likes of FIDE master Haridas Pascua, FIDE master Cherry Ann Mejia, Samantha GloRevita, Giovanni Mejia, Gutierrez siblings Dennis Jr. and Dennis III, JodilynFronda, Prince Mark Aquino and Rowene Wyse Palaming.

Eight-year-old Dennis III figured prominently in the field of chess after pocketing several awards that includes 1st place in the ASEAN-BLITZ category, 2nd in the ASEAN Age Group Chess Championships (Individual), 3rd in the ASEAN Age Group Chess Championship, 12th in the AFPI National Rapid Chess Championships (Kiddies Division), 5th in the ASEAN VS. China, 4th and 2nd in the Asian Youth Chess Championship/Individual Silver Medalist.

Overwhelmed with the achievements of the young Pangasinanwoodpushers, Espino vowed to improve the administration’s program on sports to transform the province as “Chess Capital of the North.”

The governor assured continuous support not just in chess but other sports endeavors where homegrown athletes can show their intellectual prowess, physical vigor and Pangasinense’s winning attitude.

Dennis III was among the four Philippine chess players who bagged gold in the Singapore tournament.

The other gold medalists were Michelle Yaon in the girls’ Under-17 division, Vince Angelo Medina in the Open Under-17, FIDE Master Paulo Bersamina in the Open Under-14 category.

Other Philippine wood pushers who brought home silver and bronze medals during the Singapore chess joust are as follows: JeradDocena of Bohol (silver); Marc Christian Nazario (Open U-17), Julius Gonzales (Open U-11), Fiona GeewenethGuirhem (Girls U-11) and Mae Ann Joy Baclayon (Girls U-8), all bronze medalists.