Boholana chess prodigy joins RP Asiad team

A 14-year-old Boholana chess prodigy made it to the Philippine chess team to the Doja Asian Games after beating the favorites in the controversy-marred qualifying tournament at the SM Mall of Asia. Docena, a high school junior at the Grace Christian School in Tagbilaran, made it to the country's chess team to the Asiad in December in an impressive fashion.

The 11-round qualifying tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines was wracked by controversy after it was boycotted by the country's top three grandmasters, Eugene Torre, Joey Antonio and Marc Paragua. Torre, Antonio and Paragua criticized the Swiss format used in the tournament because they wanted to be seeded outright. She defeated former Philippine national women's champion Cristine Rose Mariano in the final round to finish in a two-way tie for first place with women's international master Beverly Mendoza. Docena however prevailed over Mendoza in the tie-break.

The chess prodigy's impressive run started when she won the South East Asian 12-and-under age group tourney in Vietnam in 2004. She also finished seventh in the strong Asian 12-and-under tournament in Singapore later that year. Docena topped the eliminations for the 14-and-under girl's qualifying tournament last May 28-June 3 in Manila with a 7-2-0 win-draw-loss card.

She also won the 20-and-under qualifying tourney but chose to play in the 14-and-under to enhance her winning chances. Docena said she will give her best when she carries the country's colors. The timid teenager who hails from Antequera town is enjoying a scholarship courtesy of Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim. She will join fellow qualifiers Darwin Laylo, 26 and Ronald Dableo, 27 to form a young and promising team in the tournament dubbed as the Olympics of Asia.

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