Albay’s poor boy is a chess player | So Good News

LEGAZPI CITY: Albay, a 9-year-old boy from Barangay Busak, Oas State, has started making a name for himself in the game of strategic chess.

Bince Rafael Operiano, a Grade 3 student at San Ysidro Elementary School, recently won the gold medal at the 2022 East Asian Under-10 Youth Chess Championship in Bangkok, Thailand, defeating 28 competitors from various Asian countries.

Despite the lack of financial means, his parents supported Beans’ passion and love for chess. His mother, Rosemary Roblico-Operiano, recalled that Beans’ passion for chess began at the age of 4 with a cardboard (cardboard) chess board she bought for P50.

“There was no TV or mobile phone at home; when we went to Bicol after vacation, it was rainy season. My hometown is also a poor village in Western Negros. My two sons were bored because there was nothing. then he thought of buying a toy. He bought a P50 chess board from Polangui Supermarket because we can’t afford a P500 chess board with its box. he said.

Rosemary was born in Barangay Tampalon, Cabankalan City, Negros Occidental. She used to work as a babysitter in Manila and is now married to Bicolano Ben Operiano. They went home to Bicol to raise their families in the countryside.

Ben works as a security guard at Divine Word College High School, while Rosemary is a pre-paid consignment seller selling liter bottles of petrol and mobile phones.

Introduction to Chess

In 2017, Ben taught his two sons, Chris Brian and Bins, the basics of chess.

It was “love at first sight” for Binns.

“When Bins wakes up, he automatically wants to play chess. When the kids don’t want to play with him, he comes home crying. His players are mostly teenagers and old people. He doesn’t like to lose. He cries when he plays. He loses. But he’s happy when he wins. My husband loves them. taught me how to play chess. It’s how we bond and have fun,” Rosemary said.

Rosemary Ben said she wanted her children to compete and test their skills. And in February 2020, at the age of 6, Bins took part in a chess tournament held at the Albay Astrodome and was declared the champion in the category of children under 8 years of age.

Chris Bryant, however, was unable to compete due to a bout of fever during the event.

Believing that his son had a future in chess, Ben decided to work as a farm laborer so that he could devote more time to coaching Beans.

With his meager income, he said Bins paid a P300 membership fee to the National Chess Federation of the Philippines so that he could play in NCFP-sanctioned tournaments.

In 2022, the Operianos got a Myphone cell phone worth P2,000.

“I tried to register for an online chess tournament through mobile internet until two in the morning. I used to register early in the morning. But the problem was that we didn’t have internet, so we didn’t know how to play the online tournament. And a laptop equipped with a camera,” he said.

The first tournament

On the day of the competition, the College of God in Legazpi, according to Rosemary, helped them use a laptop with free internet connection. He said IT staff at Divine Word College offered Bins a laptop to use on Sunday as well.

“The equipment was set up by the DWC IT staff in the morning, but the tournament was held in the afternoon. The DWC IT staff went home. So, not knowing about screen sharing, we decided to go out. The operation. At that time, the best 15 players would be selected to participate in the semi-finals, but 12 only player participated. So Beans was selected even though he didn’t compete because he finished 9th,” Rosemary said.

After advancing to the semifinals, Beans trained under coach Archie Haig, and San Ysidro Elementary School teacher Tessie Relleve Operiano helped the couple finance Beans’ training.

Ben said he bought the laptop through Hulugan (installment payment), which Binse can use for practice and virtual chess tournaments.

In July 2022, Binse won the national under-10 category in Malolos, Bulacan. After winning the title, she was given an incentive by Albay Governor Noel Rosal, Rosemary said.

Binse flew to Zamboanga last September to compete in the under-9 category of the National Youth and School Chess Championship held in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte.

He won again.

Rosemary Binns said she was also excited to meet Janelle Fraina, the country’s first female chess grandmaster, in Malolos and Zamboanga.

“Janela gave my son a chess board and a chess clock timer,” said Rosemary Fraina, who is also Bicolana.

In honor of his hometown, Oas City Mayor Domingo Escoto Jr. presented Bins with a cash incentive of P30,000 for his victory in Bulacan and another P20,000 for his victory in Zamboanga. Oas Vice Mayor Hector Loyola Mallia da Operiano provided financial assistance to the family.

Albay Third District Representative Fernando Cabredo also gave them more than P10,000.

The cash incentive given to Binns was used for his training and other expenses in preparation for the competition in Thailand.

Stayed at the airport

Before flying to Bangkok, Thailand to represent the country in the 6th East Asian Youth Chess Championship in 2022, Beans spent the night with his father at a hotel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

Binse flew to Bangkok, Thailand on November 2 without his father. Her plane ticket was raised by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), but not her father’s. According to Rosemary, Ben stayed at the NAIA and stayed there for three nights, waiting for benefactors to buy him a ticket.

Rosemary asked her husband’s son to help finance his trip to Bangkok. The people of Albay and Rep. Cabredo reciprocated by giving Ben money to accompany his son to Bangkok.

Earlier, Binse’s family asked for help to pay the registration fee to represent the country in the contest in September.

Following Rosemary’s request, Cabredo sent P10,000 and Vice Mayor Malia also gave P10,000 to buy Ben’s plane ticket to Bangkok.

After saving up, Ben finally flew to Bangkok on November 6th.

PSC can help

On Thursday, PSC observed the achievements of the young Operiano.

“We recognize Beans’ potential and are grateful for all the sacrifices he has made to achieve what he has,” PSC said in a statement.

“However, it has come to our attention that Binns has experienced logistical problems while attending the event.”

PSC chairman Noli Eala himself promised to help Bins and his training.

“With this in mind, we are inviting Beans and his parents to the PSC to discuss how we can help him develop his talent and achieve greater success. PSC is here to help our athletes within current policies and guidelines,” the statement read. . has joined.

“We are also coordinating with the National Chess Federation of the Philippines to discuss how Beans has been assisted by the NCFP thus far and how they can partner with the NSA (National Sports Association) and the PSC to further develop this talented athlete.”