MANILA---Philippine Woman National Chess Master April Joy Villapaña Claros is ready to be recognized as a young chess prodigy.
She is groomed to be the next Woman Grandmaster of the Philippines by National Chess Federation of the Philippines together with Far Eastern University as she is presently being trained and mentored by multi- awarded Chess Coach FIDE Senior Trainor Grandmaster Jayson O. Gonzales.
She learned the rudiments of chess from his father Henry at the age of 8. Her first chess tournament at was at the age of 10.
The 15-year-old April Joy hails from Angeles City, Pampanga, a grade 10 student of FEU Diliman in Quezon City is the only Filipino who reaches the quarterfinals in the 2021 online World FIDE cadet chess championship.
This year, a grandslam performance of April Joy winning the championships in 2022 National age group U16 Girls in Malolos City last March , National Youth and Schools U15 Girls in Dapitan City last September and National Juniors U20 Girls.
The chess prodigy is now gunning for greater glory.
She will be participating in Eastern Asia Youth Chess Champsionship in Bangkok, Thailand on Nov. 4-12, 2022.
Likewise, she will be playing in the prestigious Philippine National Women's Chess Championship on November 29- December 7,2022.
Her local and International chess campaign is made possible by the support of FEU Chairman Aurelio Montinola III, FEU Athletic Director Mark Oliver Molina and NCFP President /Chairman Hon. Prospero A.Pichay Jr.
"April Joy (Claros) is one of the most talented players I have ever seen and I expect her to become the next Philippine Woman World Grandmaster in next few years with proper training and discipline and most especially the financial support that she needs," quipped by multi - awarded Chess Coach FIDE Senior Trainor Grandmaster Jayson O. Gonzales. -Marlon Bernardino-
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