FEMALE chessers Sara Dalagan and Mary Angela Bagongon both flashed brilliant forms to share the crowning glory in the male-dominated over-the-board chess tourney for the youth in Balingoan, Misamis Oriental, over the weekend.
Dalagan actually finished in a tie with fellow Tagoloan girl Lyn Getubig at 3.5 points but prevailed in the Bucholz tiebreaker, 10.5 to 9.5, to secure the first-place honor in the 16-under category Intermediate Open of the 70th Araw ng Balingoan Chess Tournament.
Cagayan de Oro’s Joseph Dela Rama and Balingoan pride Quarl Vera Cruz were tied at three points to occupy third and fourth behind Dalagan and the second-running Getubig of.
Local bet Stive Alison is solo fifth with his 2.5 points in four-round matches, employing the Swiss system format.
In the Beginners category, Bagongon played impressively dishing out a perfect five of five performance to emerge champion.
“Chess events are not always like this nga maghari ang mga prinsesa. Kon naay pilot warriors nga beauty queen sa Ukraine, naa sab mga chess combatant nga dalaginding sa probinsiya,” arbiter Lorenzo Cuizon told Gold Star Daily in half jest.
Sharing second to fifth behind Bagongon at similar four points are Jacob Paolo Sumunod, Jan Dave Dagatan, John Carl Anay and Raymart Balibagon.
Fellow 3.5 pointers Mark Justine Agulay and Renz Ortiz landed at 6-7, respectively.
Rounding up the Beginners’ top-16 finishers at three markers apiece are John Cholith Tambeling, Clint Rayon, Melian Buhisan, John Angelo Bagongon, Noril Felix Ligsanan, Stemart Gabule, Warren Magallon, Jhonrell Quere-Quere, and Clier Ivan Gulle.
Veteran campaigner Paciano Gulle of Balingasag had teamed up earlier with the 10-year-old Quarl Vera Cruz of Balingoan to power Team GVC in pocketing the top prize in the premier Dalawahan team competition.
Gulle and Vera Cruz amassed a nine-point total to edge Tagoloan Kalye of Ronnel Cantonjos and LJ Getubig and Tagoloan Manuli-ay of Rodolfo Calonia Jr, and Lyn Getubig who shared 1-2 with a combined 8.5 points.
Organized by the Balingoan town through mayor Aaron Paul Unabia with the support of Cong. Christian Unabia and the Balingoan Chess Club under its president Dhomreylotter ‘Niño’ Querequere, the 70th Araw ng Balingoan chessfest was successfully officiated by Cuizon and Alberto ‘Kuya Butchouy’ Vera Cruz as his deputy chief arbiter.
