Garcia, Nanola show way in NCR chessfest
Sunday, 21 June 2009 22:45
Ateneo’s Jan Garcia racked up five wins in a row in impressive fashions while Christian Nanola upset eighth seed Dave Dulay in the fifth round to gain a share of the lead in their respective divisions in the Shell National Youth Active Chess Championships-National Capital Region leg at the SM Mall of Asia over the weekend.
The third-seeded Garcia downed Riza Bonifacio, Irene Samonte, Jessica Visca, Lemuel Bermas and Ferdinand Reyes Jr. to force a three-way tie for first in the 20-and-under division with No. 6 Richelieu Salcedo of Philippine Maritime Institute and Far Eastern University’s (FEU) Lennon Salgados heading into the last two rounds of the Swiss system tournament.
Salcedo beat Jerome Flores, Marie Galang, Narquingden Reyes, James Dacanay and Adam Rico, while Salgados won over Jeffrey Macabitas, Ronald Barcelon, Ephraim Maliam, Gerald Ferriol and Jayson Mercado to stay in the hunt for top honors in the event, sponsored by Pilipinas Shell under its Shell Active Chess program.
Top seed Kevin Mirano, also of FEU, was held to a draw in third round by Narquingden Reyes and stood in joint fourth with Antonio Chavez Jr., Charlene Suede and Reyes, while 20 others posted four points and remained in the race for the top three places and berths in the national finals.
The 30th-ranked Nanola’s stirring win over Dulay hiked the Laguna College of Business and Arts student’s total to five points for a share of the lead with second seed Jeremiah Alfonso, fourth ranked Vince Medina, No. 5 Paulo Bersamina, No. 9 Paul Evangelista and 10th seed Giovanni Mejia in the kiddies side of the event, the nation’s longest-running, grassroots-based chess tournament.
Earlier, Jeng Pascual, finance manager of Shell Phils. Exploration, BV, and Rolando Brillantes of the Department of Education, made the ceremonial moves to usher in the two-day tournament serving as the kickoff leg of a seven-stage nationwide circuit.
McDominique Lagula, the top seed in the 14-and-under division, was upset by Patrick de Leon in the second round but won four straight to gain a share of 13th place.
Six players, including Kevin Sicat, Leeland Kwok, Kenneth Baltazar, Paulo Cristobal, Raffy Lobitana and Aristotle Cunanan, tote 4.5 points for a share of seventh with the battle for top honors and spots in the grand finals set in October at SM Megamall.
The top three players in both divisions will advance to the national finals of the event, endorsed by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, backed by Shell Fuels, Shellane, Shell Helix, and McDonald’s, in partnership with SM Supermalls and Paseo Reale Cagayan.
Source: http://businessmirror.com.ph/
What are the prizes?