Velarde tops qualifiers
Lapu-Lapu City wonder boy Jerish John Velarde bounced back with vengeance as he booked himself a ticket to the Asian schools competition after topping the Nationals Schools and Youth Chess Championships U11 competition at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila last Tuesday.
The victory was a vengeance of sort for Velarde, who failed to earn a ticket to the Asean Age Group Chess Championships in November after finishing only fifth in the National Age Group Chess Championships at the Robinsons Galleria-Cebu last month.
Velarde scored 6.0 points on five wins and two draws after the 7-Rounds Swiss System competition that was participated by 33 players .
The Marie Ernestine School Lapu-Lapu City Campus chess ace defeated James Henry Calacday, Dustin Mackenzie Herrero, Cedric Kahlel Abris and Elijah Josh Opriasa in the first four rounds, drew with Angele Tenshi Biete and Mark Jay Bacojo in the next two rounds and beat Robert James Perez in the final round to earn the right to represent Philippines in the Asian Schools and Youth Chess Championships in in China on July 20-30.
Velarde is not new to the Asian Schools competition as he took his former school, Lapu-Lapu City Central School, to a second place finish in 2015. That came at the heels of his 11th place finish in the world competition. /