27/03/2024
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ก๐๐ง๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐จ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก โ๐๐ข๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌโ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ!
It seemed like an underdog story straight out of the movies, but Ruelle Canino, the wunderkind from Cagayan de Oro, defied all clichรฉs and etched her name in history by contending with the giants and slaying her way to victory and emerging victorious in the Philippine National Women Chess Championship, dubbed โBattle of Womenโs Mastersโ, held in Malolos, Bulacan last Sunday. At just 15 years old, the young phenom scored 8.5 points, claiming P85,000 in cash and booking a ticket to the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Bangkok, Thailand in November. Additionally, she will be representing alongside the second and third-place finishers at the FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary slated for September.
Ranked as the tenth participant out of twelve and also the youngest contender, 15-year-old Canino showcased remarkable skill early on by defeating seasoned veterans like WIM Marie Antoinette San Diego and WIM Bernadette Galas, seizing the lead by the fourth round. Despite a setback in the fifth round with her first loss, she rebounded with three consecutive wins until encountering the top seed, WGM Janelle Frayna, in Round 9. Round 10 ended in a draw, allowing her eventual last round opponent, Jan Jodilyn Fronda, to surpass her lead. Trailing by half a point, Canino faced a must-win situation to clinch the title. In a tense match, she displayed her best performance, leveraging strong positional understanding and fundamentals to gain an advantage. Ultimately, at move 62, her opponent conceded, marking a historic moment as Ruelle Canino became the youngest and the first Mindanaoan to achieve such remarkable feats in Philippine chess.
The Cebu School of Chess recently had the pleasure of conducting a brief interview with the young chess prodigy over Zoom. Fondly known as "Tawing," Ruelle Canino appeared shy but exuded warmth with her frequent smiles during the conversation. However, beneath her reserved demeanor lies a formidable chess player. Currently enrolled as a junior high school student at Far Eastern University (FEU), Canino's journey in chess began at the tender age of 5, with her first international competition at 7 years old. Remarkably, by the age of 11, she had already attained the title of Women National Master. Despite her academic commitments, she manages to excel both as a varsity scholar and an honor student, crediting her ability to balance academics and chess for her success. Canino attributes her tournament success to consistent training over a two-month period, focusing on endgame puzzles and refining her skills in the opening, middlegame, and endgame, while looking for ways to improve on areas she felt she was lacking. She believes chess is not just a mental game but a physical one, maintaining her competitive edge by dedicating one hour of training followed by physical exercise. When questioned about the adequacy of an hour of training, she clearly emphasized that consistency is the key. Canino reveals that her serious commitment to chess began at the age of 12, particularly after her first victory over WGM Frayna. Throughout her preparation, she received guidance and mentorship from their coach, GM Jayson Gonzales.
Despite feeling nervous, Canino expressed her determination to remain composed and focused on the games ahead. Initially aiming for a third-place finish, she faced a tough opponent in the first round but unexpectedly found herself with a perfect score by the fourth round, leading the competition. She was just as shocked by own her performance. In the final round, despite the intensity of the match, Canino felt no pressure as she had already secured second place. She simply gave it her all, pushing for a win. Eventually, she gained the upper hand and emerged victorious, and the rest was history. She fondly recalled the warmth of receiving congratulations from many and noted the interest from many potential sponsors. Celebrations aside, she is highly motivated for her next challenge, acknowledging the greater responsibilities awaiting her in AIMAG and the World Chess Olympiad. She expressed her commitment to doubling her efforts in preparation for these significant tournaments.
It's been two years since she enrolled at FEU. Reflecting on her time in Cagayan de Oro, she fondly remembers being mentored by 'Kap' Jaime Frias for many years before moving away from home. She sees her move to Manila as an opportunity, citing the abundance of tournaments and experiences available in the capital. She mentioned past attempts to recruit Rodrigo and Lavandero to the team. While acknowledging that chess isn't widely popular, she believes it can grow if Philippine chess performs well. When asked about her long-term goals, she confidently stated her aim to become a WGM within three years. I interjected cleverly, suggesting that she could aim for even higher titles such as IM and then GM. Nearing the end of the interview, she extended warm greetings to her family, friends, and coaches. When I rhetorically asked her if she could defeat IM Alice Lee, she responded that she didn't know her. I informed her that Lee is the current youngest Womenโs American Cup champion, defeating GM Irina Krush in the finals. She smirked and responded with a playful "maybe not."
