Chess prodigy makes history
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF FIDE NIKA Juris Nicolas is the first female to become a National Master in chess.
Ten-year-old prodigy Nika Juris Nicolas made history as the first female to be conferred the National Master title in chess.
Nicolas earned the recognition after another impressive showing as the only girl in the Open 11-under division of the National Youth and Schools Chess Championships in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte.
She won silver in the standard event, silver in blitz, and bronze in rapid play.
Last March, Nicolas captured the Under-11 Open division of the tournament held in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental.
A national champion, she was also an Eastern Asia silver medalist and Batang Pinoy champion.
Nicolas' accomplishments have broken the common stereotype in chess that claims that men are inherently superior to women.
FIDE has granted grandmasters titles to 38 women, representing 2.1 percent of the total number of GMs.