11-year old chess prodigy tops national tourney

MANILA, Philippines — Chess prodigy Al Basher Buto has made a habit out of beating opponents twice and thrice his age.

The 11-year-old prodigy didn’t miss a beat last Thursday when he came back from a second-round setback to rule the Philippine Sports Commission-National Chess Federation of the Philippines selection tournament done online.

The boy who was discovered in the streets of Quiapo beating the old chess guards of that place won his last seven rounds and finished with eight points out of the possible nine to top the event, which serves as one of the doorways to becoming a national team member.

Based in Cainta but whose roots was traced from Marawi, Buto was slowed down by a second-round defeat to Joseph Mendoza II but he never let it affect him and nailed seven victories in a row including the decisive final round win over erstwhile leader Janmyl Tisado.

Buto thus spearheaded the march to the semifinals slated May 11-13.

Tisado, who hails from General Trias, Cavite, missed a draw that would have clinched him the title outright and settled for a runner-up effort with 7.5 points.

Nezil Merilles, Mark James Marcellana, Ivan Travis Cu, Adrian Basilgo, Daniel John Lemi, Israel Landicho, Cedric Daniel Macato and Jan Darryl Bautista rounded up the top 10.

Meanwhile, the qualifying stage will resume with the Visayas edition set April 13-15 while the Mindanao leg is from April 20-22.