10-year-old Filipino American to receive Woman FIDE Master chess title after tournament win
By Bryan Ke
A 10-year-old Filipino American chess player placed first at the 33rd Pan-American Youth Chess Festival 2023 in the girls U12 (Under 12) category.
What happened: Megan Paragua, a fifth grader at Columbia Grammar Preparatory School in New York City, drew with American opponent Audrey Keyan Li in the ninth and final round of the tournament on Friday in Chicago, earning her a total of 7.5 points.
Canadian chess player Rae Chen also finished with 7.5 points, but Paragua took first place after the tie-break was reportedly applied.
Besides winning the tournament, Paragua is expected to receive the Woman FIDE (International Chess Federation) master title as a result of her performance, as stated on the event’s official website.
How they reacted: Paragua was ecstatic following her recent win, with PhilBoxing quoting her as saying, “I’m so happy with my latest performance and achievement.”
Meanwhile, her father Jan Vincent Paragua, the brother of chess grandmaster Mark Paragua, celebrated her win, reportedly stating the younger Paragua “got her an outright Woman FIDE Master title” at the tournament, adding, “Thank you, Lord, for all the blessings.”
About the title: The Woman FIDE Master title (WFM) is officially given by the FIDE to female chess players. After the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title and the Woman International Master (WIM) title, it is the highest-ranking title that the FIDE gives exclusively to women.
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