Little chess queen, big achievement: 5-year-old Isabela player bags 12 golds at 24th ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships

FEATURE

ISABELA, Philippines — Before the medals, before the international competition, and before her name became associated with a remarkable achievement in Philippine youth chess, Jodiel Chloe Ramos Banawa was simply a five-year-old girl fascinated by a game she often watched her family play.

She would sit nearby, watch the pieces move across the board, and slowly become curious about how the game worked. That curiosity became a passion.

Using a cellphone and computer, Chloe began teaching herself the basics of chess. No one had to force her to study. She willingly spent time learning how the pieces moved, exploring the game and gradually discovering the strategies behind each move.

Months later, that simple childhood curiosity took her from home to Singapore.

At the 24th ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships, held from August 7 to 17, 2026, Chloe competed against young chess players from across the region. She returned home with 12 gold medals, an achievement her family proudly describes as a milestone in her young chess journey.

For a five-year-old, the accomplishment is extraordinary. But behind every medal is a story of curiosity, preparation, family sacrifice, and a mother who believes that her daughter’s greatest victory is not simply winning.

It started with watching her family play

Chloe is the third child of Diana Ramos Banawa and International Master Joel Banawa. She has two half-brothers and two sisters. Her journey into chess began at home, where she enjoyed watching members of her family play.

According to Diana, Chloe’s interest grew naturally. She began using technology to learn how the pieces moved and gradually taught herself more about the game.

“Mahilig po siyang manood sa amin pag naglalaro, masipag po siya mag-aral, hindi na pinipilit, nag-self-study po siya using CP at computer how to move pieces,” Diana shared in an interview with GURU Press Cordillera.

For Chloe, chess was not something imposed on her. She wanted to learn. That willingness became the foundation of her growth.

From learning the basic movements of the pieces, she gradually developed the ability to recognize patterns, think ahead, and make decisions on the board. What began with watching her family play eventually became a passion she could pursue on her own.

The work behind the 12 golds

Talent may open a door, but preparation helped Chloe step through it. Before traveling to Singapore, she spent months training, working on chess puzzles, openings, endgames, and numerous practice games designed to sharpen her skills and prepare her for competition.

“Matindi po yung naging preparation niya. Ilang buwan po kaming nag-focus sa training—puzzles, openings, endgames at maraming practice games,” Diana said.

But the Banawa family understood that preparing a five-year-old for an international competition involved more than technical skills. They also focused on Chloe’s mental and emotional readiness.

“Bilang magulang at coach, sinigurado naming handa siya hindi lang sa chess, kundi pati mentally at emotionally, habang pinapanatili pa rin naming masaya siya sa paglalaro,” Diana added.

For her parents, the goal was not simply to make Chloe a better chess player. They wanted her to remain happy while learning. The chessboard became a place where discipline and enjoyment could grow together.

A family behind the journey

Chloe’s trip to Singapore also required sacrifices from her family. Joining an international competition comes with expenses, and the family sought assistance to help support her participation. Her father, International Master Joel Banawa, also took part in efforts to raise funds for the trip. 

It was another reminder that behind the success of a young athlete is often a family willing to work, sacrifice, and create opportunities for a child to pursue a dream. Eventually, Chloe made it to Singapore.

The 24th ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships brought together 672 participants during the 10-day competition.

For Chloe, the tournament was more than a trip abroad. It was the moment when months of preparation, practice, and family support met the challenge of international competition.

12 gold medals—and a mother’s pride

When the competition ended, Chloe had 12 gold medals to bring home. For Diana, however, the medals represent much more than victories on the chessboard.

“Sobrang saya at proud po kami. Yung 12 gintong medalya ay bunga ng sipag, tiyaga, at pagmamahal niya sa chess,” she said.

The medals represent the hours spent studying positions, solving puzzles, playing practice games, and learning from every training session. They also represent the family that stood behind Chloe as she developed her passion. And perhaps most importantly, they represent the joy she continues to find in the game.

A mother’s message beyond the medals

With 12 gold medals now part of Chloe’s young chess journey, it would be easy to measure her success by the number of medals around her neck. But Diana wants her daughter to remember something more important.

“Anak, proud kami sa’yo hindi lang dahil sa mga medalya, kundi dahil ginawa mo ang best mo at hindi ka sumuko.”

For a mother, the greatest achievement is not always seeing her child win. Sometimes, it is seeing her child try. It is watching her continue when a game becomes difficult, learn from mistakes, and return to the chessboard ready to make another move.

Diana’s message reminds Chloe that her parents’ pride does not depend on the number of medals she brings home. They are proud because she gave her best. They are proud because she kept going.

Supporting a child’s passion

Diana hopes Chloe’s story will also encourage other parents to support their children in pursuing the things they love.

“Sa kapwa ko magulang naman, suportahan lang po natin ang passion ng ating mga anak. Huwag po nating sukatin ang tagumpay nila sa medalya lang—mas importante na masaya sila, natututo, at alam nilang nandiyan tayo sa panalo man o pagkatalo.”

For Diana, a child’s passion deserves encouragement, not pressure. Parents can guide their children, provide opportunities, and help them prepare, while still allowing them to enjoy the journey.

In Chloe’s case, that support helped transform an ordinary childhood curiosity into an extraordinary opportunity.

One move at a time

Chloe’s story did not begin in a major tournament hall. It began at home, with a little girl watching her family play chess. It continued with a cellphone, a computer, countless questions, and a growing desire to understand the game. Then came months of training, family sacrifices, and a journey to Singapore.

Now, 12 gold medals stand as reminders of how far that little girl has come. At only five years old, Chloe has already made a remarkable mark on her young chess journey. But her story is far from over. There will be more chessboards, more opponents, more difficult positions, more victories, and inevitably, more lessons.

And whatever the next move may be, she will have the same people behind her—a family that believes in her, parents who support her passion, and a mother who reminds her that winning is not everything. Because sometimes, the most beautiful victory is not the medal. It is having the courage to keep playing.

And for five-year-old Chloe, the next move is hers to make.