Chess Gladiators – Heroes Among Us

  • Page Views 459539
  • Butch-VillaviejaVANCOUVER – The Filipino talent is known for his luster shine from all four corners of the world. Famous among them is Manny Pacquiao, who, year after year seems to be improving with more maturity and invulnerability. There are those who conquered the stage of Broadway creating waves overseas for their singing prow­ess. And there are those who si­lently but mightily labour their way to great nobility sweating every penny to survive and feed hungry mouths back home. Less illustrious but equally tal­ented as their peers, there are, among us, a few who made a mark for themselves locally and sharing some pride for the Ma­lay blood. All they’ve fun to do is ‘push wood’ but with good sense. After all, they do it with the use of the higher faculty of reason, logic and critical thinking. And they have to constantly watch out for the playing field accepts neither lie nor hypocrisy. They either win or lose although occasionally call it a draw. Yes, their battle ground is the chessboard – the gymna­sium of the mind.
    One ‘Canoy’ stands out among them. His name is Butch Villavieja. Recently he achieved the pinnacle of success when he’s crowned ‘BC 2012 Chess Champion. With this plum, he duplicated the feat achieved by the young Filipino immigrant Loren Laceste who was co-champion in 2011. Not to be outdone are Mayo Fuentebella, a perennial champion in the local Active Chess tournaments and currently the ‘BC Active Chess Champion. Vicente Lee Jr is an­other formidable chess artist who was back to back ‘BC Active Chess Champion’ from 2009 to 2010.
    “… he regards chess as a game, a science and an art rolled into one.”

    Chess, indeed, is an oasis of fun, energy and motivation for many. One such chess aficionado is Isabelo ‘Jun’ Bandong. As fe­rocious as a tiger when he plays chess, he is as kind as a tigress when sharing his professional ser­vices to kababayans. He regards chess as a game, a science and an art rolled into one! Yes, the se­nior is no senior at all. Give him the slip and he’ll finish you with a coup de grace!

    Other local ‘Canoys’ who are regulars in the local chess circuit are Jofrel Landingin – a regu­lar campaigner in the American chess circuit, Marionito Jose, Junie Caluza, and Leo Erazo, to name a few.
    All of them are making the Fili­pino within and among us, proud. Indeed!

     

    Share

    Leave a Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    New Posts Recently publish post More

    • 02 June 2023
      7 hours ago No comment

      1 million Filipinos in Canada to mark heritage month in June

      It’s June, and it’s Filipino Heritage Month across Canada. The community has grown over the years, and Filipinos now number close to one million.Based on Statistics Canada projections, Filipinos are expected to number over two million across Canadain 2041. The 2021 Census established that a total of 957,000 people ...

    • 01 June 2023
      1 day ago No comment

      B.C. promotes equity with anti-racism research priorities

      VANCOUVER – The Province takes another step improving access to government programs and services for Indigenous Peoples and racialized communities, with the release of 12 priorities for anti-racism research. Seven research priorities were put forward by the provincial Anti-Racism Data Committee. Indigenous Peoples recommended three research priorities and two ...

    • 01 June 2023
      1 day ago No comment

      Filipino Musicians on Stage at Pinoy Festival Burnaby

      “Magmula no’ng ako’y natutong umawit, naging makulay ang aking munting daigdig…kay ganda ng ating musika Ito ay atin, sariling atin at sa habang-buhay awitin natin!”. Maestro Ryan Cayabyab wrote masterful lyrics and a melodic tune that continues to characterize OPM (Original Filipino Music) ever since it’s debut in the ...

    • 01 June 2023
      1 day ago No comment

      1 million Filipinos in Canada to mark heritage month in June

      It’s June, and it’s Filipino Heritage Month across Canada. The community has grown over the years, and Filipinos now number close to one million. Based on Statistics Canada projections, Filipinos are expected to number over two million across Canada in 2041. The 2021 Census established that a total of ...

    • 25 May 2023
      1 week ago No comment

      Parliamentary secretary’s statement on Anti-Racism Awareness Week

      Mable Elmore, Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives, has released the following statement in recognition of Anti-Racism Awareness Week: “Anti-Racism Awareness Week, from May 22-26, 2023, is an opportunity for British Columbians to learn about B.C.’s diverse culture and history, and to consider how they can help fight discrimination, racism ...

    %d bloggers like this: