FOUR players led by Eric Labog Jr. and Ma. Elayza Villa ruled their divisions in the seven-round rapid event of the 4th Eastern Asia Youth Chess Championships Wednesday in Bangkok, Thailand.
Labog Jr. topped the premier 18-under class via tiebreak after finishing with identical six points with International Master Daniel Quizon. He had six wins and one loss – inflicted by Singaporean Hee Wei Yang in the opening round.
Villa, meanwhile, reigned supreme in the Girls 16-18 category also after a tiebreak was applied, edging Woman FIDE Master Christine Elisabeth of Indonesia. Villa finished with 5.5 points on five wins, one draw and one loss.
Also winning were Poddar Srihaan, who scored 6.5 points to win the 12-under division, and Al-Basher Buto, who copped the 10-under plum with 6 points.
The PH team also went home with four silvers courtesy of Lemmuel Jay Adena (12-under), Michael Concio Jr. (16-under), International Master Daniel Quizon (18-under), and April Joy Claros (12-under). (KRISTEL SATUMBAGA)