11-year-old Fil-Am chess prodigy bags gold in world championship

Megan Paragua secured the gold medal with 9.5 points, comprising eight wins and three draws. Image: chesskidofficial/Instagram

Brimming with skill and strategy at a very young age, 11-year-old Filipino American chess prodigy has emerged victorious at the World Cadet Rapid and Blitz Championships 2024 in Durres, Albania.

Competing in the Rapid Girls 12 and under category, Megan Althea Obrero Paragua showcased her strategic prowess, culminating in a thrilling 66-move victory in the final showdown.

Employing the Catalan Opening with the black pieces, the fifth-grade pupil at Columbia Grammar Preparatory School in New York City, outmaneuvered her opponent, the 35th seed Vietnamese Hong Ha My Nguyen, in a display of tactical brilliance.

Guided by her mentor Sophia Rhode, she exhibited focus and determination, securing victory in all five rounds leading up to the final clash.

According to PhilBoxing.com, the chess player’s strategic acumen was on full display as she triumphed over formidable opponents, including players from Turkmenistan for the first round, Poland for the second round, Kazakhstan for the third round and Vietnam for both the fourth and fifth rounds.

After a six-match winning streak, the young prodigy experienced a draw against Thai Hoang An Tong of Vietnam in the sixth round. However, her resilience was evident as she swiftly rebounded from the draw to clinch decisive victories in the subsequent rounds against Nika Venskaya of Russia in the seventh round and Varvara Matskevich of Poland in the eighth round, respectively.

In the ninth and tenth rounds, Paragua shared points with Daliya Diaskyzy of Kazakhstan and Anastasiya Aleks Barabash of Russia before ultimately triumphing over Nguyen in the final round.

She secured the gold medal with 9.5 points, comprising eight wins and three draws. Last year, Paragua nabbed the Woman Fide Master title (WFM) at the XXXIII Pan-American Youth Chess Festival 2023 Standard competition in Chicago.

As the top player of the Empire Chess Training School of Chess in the USA, the WFM sets her sights on further challenges, primed to compete in the upcoming 2024 US Girls’ Junior Championship in July.