SINCE relocating to Cagayan de Oro in July 2022, Bacolod City native Ellan Asuela never missed a thing when it comes to pushing his luck across the 64-square-board.
And last Saturday’s Fide-rated event at the Ayala-Centrio Mall here was not an exemption.
Teaming up with Barangay Bonbon neighbor Abdul Halil Abdullah and two youngsters in Cyprus Pada and Nil Jeschel Nahbi Gamba, Asuela’s MindMovers went on to top the GCF Fide-Rated 4x4 Team Blitz Chess Championship.
The MindMovers narrowly defeated Malaybalay City in the sixth and final round, 2.5-1.5 with Asuela and Abdullah notching crucial wins on the top boards over the pair of Joseph Maestrado and Oliver Damonsong after Pada’s defeat to Nico Tabacuan and Gamba’s draw with Sebastian Damonsong on boards 3 and 4, respectively.
The thrilling victory put MindMovers in a tie with Patsada of Basilio Pandan Jr, Naphtali Wabe, Sara Dalagan, and Rena Dalagan at 10 match points each.
Patsada’s dramatic zoom to the top was highlighted by Pandan’s gigantic upset of Fide Master Nelson Villanueva on their top-board duel after Sara’s draw with Ashley Aya Nicole Paquinol on board 3 and Rena compensates Wabe’s board 2 loss to boy wonder Quarl Maverick Vera Cruz by outlasting Xian Macgyver Caneos on board 4.
However, Pandan’s heroism was not enough as the MindMovers edged Patsada in the Bucholz tiebreaker, 17.5 -15, to bag the championship worth P5,000.
“Abi ko’g mao na gyod after napilde nako si Fide Master (Villanueva). Wala pa gyod nihupas ang b'wenas ni Ellan,” Pandan later told Gold Star Daily.
Patsada received the first runner-up prize of P3,000, while second runner-up Nemesis and third runner-up Misamis Oriental got P2,000 and P1,000 apiece.
Nemesis is made up of National Master Levi Mercado, Abner Cantonjos, Arnel Enrico Paolo Codera, and Francis Nathaniel Embolode and Misamis Oriental is comprised of Johnnel Balquin, Keith Adriane Ilar, Jake Riddick Sabordo, and Kyne Cian Balquin were tied at 9 match points, but with Nemesis prevailing in the tiebreaker, 15.5 to 15.
Asuela’s luck kept smiling in the individual awards as he emerged with better tiebreak results over fellow undefeated Aljie Cantonjos of Team Ahon (six of six) for the board one gold.
Other gold medalists are Johnie Lou Lagunay of Woodpusher (six of six) on board two, Paquinol of Balingoan-LGU (4.5 of 6) on board three, and Richmond Valmores of Malaybalay-LGU (5.5 of 6) on board four.
Asuela, Lagunay, Paquinol, and Valmores were given P300 each by the organizing Golden Chess Friends spearheaded by Benoni ‘Ben’ Wabe and supported by Alliance of Certified Enforcers' founding head Erwin Culanag.
