The University of Batangas (UB) Grade School celebrated the victories of Reydren Barry B.Torres and Rafael Joseph A. Solis at the Caballero de Ajedrez U17 Rapid Chess Tournament held on August 30, 2025, at Xentromall Batangas City.
Torres, a Grade 6 – Palma, secured Top under 10 and Top 7. He shared how he managed the pressure during his matches: “I stayed calm during the chess competition, though it was challenging because the players were really skilled,” he said.
Meanwhile, Solis, a Grade 3 – Thomson student and Top Caballero awardee, reflected on a key lesson from the event: “One important lesson I learned is not to resign too early,” he emphasized, recalling a game where he gave up despite having chances to win. “As Coach Agui always reminds us: never resign, fight until the game ends,” he said.
Their coach, Mr. Aguido B. Ebreo, UB Grade School Library Assistant, guided the young chess players through consistent training.
“They undergo proper training in chess after their classes. I teach them the fundamental principles, rules, tactics, and strategies of chess,” he explained.
He admitted that working with Torres and Solis proved especially challenging: “Conditioning their minds and developing proper behavior during matches were the hardest part of the training.”
With nearly 15 years of coaching experience at UB Grade School for chess, Mr. Ebreo stressed that honing chess skills takes time, emphasizing patience is the key for progress to prosper.
Torres and Solis are bound to represent UB Grade School in the upcoming regional tournaments.