Daniel Quizon stuns top seed in Asian Youth

MANILA, Philippines – A 13-year-old lad from Dasmariñas, Cavite who is playing in the Under-18 division of the Asian Youth Chess Tournament in Chiang Mai, Thailand, stunned the top-seeded Vietnamese Monday night, April 2, to share the lead after two rounds.

Daniel Quizon defeated Vietnamese International Master Tran Tuan Minh in 53 moves of a Sicilian Defense to share the lead with two points with compatriot John Marvin Miciano, Arya Omidi of Iran and Timur Nurzanov of Kazakhstan.

Miciano, the national junior champ from FEU, defeated  Ahmad Nazari Emir Rusyaidi.

The National Chess Federation of the Philippines decided to raise Quizon on a higher category to test his potential after recent successes, led by a second place finish at a Chinese youth tournament.

Quizon, choosing a positional treatment against the aggressive Sicilian Defense, built his game slowly and surely as he beat off attempts by Tran to muddy the waters.

In the Under-8 division Al Basher Buto, one of the recipients of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Tony Siddayao Award,  shares the lead with two points along with 11 others. Mark Jay Bacojo, in the Under-12, is among the frontrunners with a 2/2 tally. – Rappler.com