Eugene Torre Cup: Aurelio stuns Canino to win blitz girls’ Under-18 title

MANILA, Philippines – Kayla Lorraine Aurelio outshone Olympiad-bound Ruelle Canino to snatch the premier blitz girls’ Under-18 title in the 2nd Eugene Torre Cup over the weekend at the Gateway Mall 2 Activity Center.

Aurelio finished tied with Canino, a 15-year-old prodigy who topped the national women’s championship in Malolos, Bulacan last March that earned her a spot to the national team seeing action in the Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary this September, with 8.5 points apiece.

But Aurelio took the title after she stunned Canino in the opening round.

An upset also rocked the premier blitz boys U18 after John Jerish Velarde upstaged fancied FIDE Master Mark Joy Bacojo to snatch the crown.

Millery Gen Suybia and Mark Jeross Albert, meanwhile, swept both the rapid and blitz gold medals in the girls’ U15 and boys U9, respectively.

Other rapid winners were Juziela Marielle Agne (GU18), Justine Sumer Oncita (U15), John Randall Peralta (U12), Franiel Angela Magpily (GU15) and Reese Valerie Barbosa (GU9) while Allie Jean Ong (GU15), Faith Louise Dorupa (GU9), Rafael Irvin Lacorte (U15) and Evan Meneses (U12) reigned supreme in blitz.

“I just want to help the country produce more chess champions,” said Torre, whose meet was organized by the NCFP and backed by FIDE, Eugene Torre Chess Museum and Philippine Arbiters Chess Confederation Inc.