Hernandez crowned chess princess

MANILA, Philippines — Being the reigning women’s champion and an Olympiad veteran, everybody expected teenage sensation Ruelle Canino to handily rule the girls’ side of the National Juniors Chess Championships. They were all mistaken.

Delivering one of the most shocking victories in the history of the annual tournament, unheralded Lexie Grace Hernandez crawled her way back from the grave to snatch the crown nobody believed she’d win.

From a stinging first-round defeat, the 19-year-old Ateneo standout fought her way back by scoring 5.5 points in the last six rounds including a snappy 46-move win over second seed Jersey Marticio in the last round.