THE revival of a prestigious chess tourney in Tagoloan town, Misamis Oriental saw the emergence of a new champion in the monthly in-school rivalry and the triumph of youth against the veterans.
Once caught crying after a crucial loss, the 15-year-old Khent Lourence Cañas of Tagoloan National High School finally had his day after topping the combined elementary and high school category of the recently-held 1st Mayor Nadya Emano-Elipe Fide Rated Chess Tournament at the Tagoloan Dome.
It was actually a closely-fought battle for first place in the junior skirmishes as five players ― Cañas, Cassey Miguel Tabamo, David Rey Ancheta, Sara Dalagan, Lila Alyssa Seriña ― all ended in a tie at six points, but with Cañas getting the better in the Bucholz tiebreaker.
A classic fighting chess showdown highlighted the last two rounds with Cañas upstaging former National Shell Active kiddies titlist Ancheta in the penultimate sixth round and Seriña defeating Cañas in the seventh and final rounds.
The ‘lady chess assassin’ Seriña of Capitol University Basic Education Department (Cubed) in Cagayan de Oro, Tagoloan pride Sara Dalagan and El Salvador native Tabamo of Malaybalay City are all previous champions of the Golden Chess Friends-backed tourneys.
“Pulos gyod tirador ang nag top-five with same score sa tiebreak lang nagdaug,” arbiter Lorenzo ‘Jun’ Cuizon told Gold Star Daily.
Occupying sixth and seventh places with identical 5.5 points are Lyn Getubig of Tagoloan and Sebastian Marbas of Cagayan de Oro.
Completing the top-19 performers with 5 points to show out from 96 participants are AFM Janin Dhrey Querequere, Ashlanie Pandi, Carl Jazzel Bologna, Paulo Efren Castino, Niko Tabacuan, Zhaoyu Capilitan, Mary Janelle Tan, LJ Getubig, Lara Dalagan, Jesheene Ybur Careras, Althea Meach Canas and Mary Stephanie Dacut.
In the Individual Rapid Open, the 19-year-old Ronald Canino edged out fellow 6.5-pointer retired Air Force soldier Allan Cantonjos in the tiebreaker for the championship trophy.
His older brother Romeo Canino, 21, meanwhile scored 5.5 points for the solo third-place honor ahead of their veteran mentor Johnnel Balquin who led four others (Paciano Gulle, Adrian Othniel Yulo, Ace Joshua Caralde, James Pada) top-eight placers at 5 points each.
Rounding up the top ninth to 13th with 4.5 points apiece are Benoni ‘Benwabs’ Wabe, Kinmapil Virtudazo, Conrad Mahinay, Joseph Parmisano, and Jason Semine.
In the blitz team Tatluhan (3x3), the D. Assassin ― also powered by the youthful troika of Romeo Canino, Ancheta, and Marbas ― tallied 10 match points for the crowning glory.
The MindMovers, anchored by junior stalwart Aljie Cantonjos and the teenage pair of Karl Auguste Xander Sayson and Quarl Maverick Vera Cruz, banked on superior tiebreak points to nose out fellow 8-pointers Benilde (Yulo, Caralde, AFM Querequere), and Team Castle 2 (Allan Cantonjos, Lyn Getubig, Ashley Aya Nicole Paquinol) for the runner-up purse.
With the all-out support of GCF and the Tagoloan Chess Club, Mayor Nadya Emano-Elipe and the local government of Tagoloan gave out over P30,000 in total cash prizes plus trophies and medals to the winners.
“We’re just starting out. This is not the end of our sports collaboration especially when it comes to local chess development,” Mayor Nadya Emano-Elipe said in reassuring the chess crowd and tournament organizers.
