THE changing of the guards was evident on Wednesday’s finale of the 2nd Governor Henry S. Oaminal Open Chess Tournament with the country’s young chess hopefuls sustaining a demolition job against the veterans.
With International Master Eric Labog Jr besting the grizzled Johnnel Balquin from Cagayan de Oro with a methodical beating on board 2, fellow IM compatriots Daniel Quizon and Michael Concio Jr needed just a draw on their top-board duel for the reigning Philippine Open champion and Grandmaster-elect Cuizon to secure the crown.
“We have sentiments for the oldies such as the 62-year-old 13-time Philippine Open champion GM Joey Antonio, but we're so proud and happy in the same breath that the Ozamiz tournament had yet to witness the passing of the torch,” said tournament organizer Arena Grandmaster Rey Urbiztondo, citing Cuizon, Concio and Labog from the fame Dasmariñas Chess Academy in Cavite who are all under 20 years old.
The experienced GM Darwin Laylo defeated his colleague from Dasmariñas coaching staff Fide Master Roel Abelgas on board 3 to join their students Cuizon, Concio, and Labog at 7.5 points after nine rounds of the FIDE-rated rapid chess tourney.
But after the Bucholz tiebreaker, the 19-year-old Cuizon (58 BH pts) ― who only needs to raise his live standard rating of 2460 to 2500 to nail the GM title ― went home with the P100,000 top prize and the grand championship trophy.
“I hope that my performance here in Ozamiz will inspire the young ones from all over the country to play chess and become a better person,” said Quizon during the awarding ceremony at the packed AYA and Residences Hotel in Clarin, Misamis Occidental.
Concio (54 BH pts), Laylo (52.5 BH pts), and Labog (52 BH pts) occupied second up to fourth place to receive P60,000, P40,000 and P20,000 each.
“It’s all in the family, I mean the Dasmariñas Chess Academy and its allied forces,” noted out arbiter Lorenzo Cuizon except, the rest of the top-10 finishers ― National Master Joey Albert Florendo from Zamboanga City (7 pts), FM David Elorta from Manila (6.5 pts), Balquin (6.5), Nazario Ubanan from Cagayan de Oro (6.5), Michel Jackson Ambuang from Dipolog (6.5) and Abelgas ― who got P10,000, P6,000, P4,000, P4,000, P4,000, and another P4,000 apiece.
Tangub City pride Rodney Opada finished in a tie with Florendo at 7 points good for 6th place, but he chose to go with the best Misamis Occidental player citation that made him P60,000 richer.
“So far, pinakadako nga premyo sa chess nga akong nadawat. I will enjoy it with my family in Tangub,” Opada told Gold Star Daily.
Those who made the top 20 ― Abdelmunim Hassan, AGM Julius Dan Augustine Ablin, Jeriel Manlimbana, and Johnny Wellem Carzano, 6.0 points; FM Vince Alaan, GM Rogelio Antonio Jr., Jan Francis Mirano, FM Ellan Asuela, Jashfer Gonzales and Jefte Crebillo, 5.5 pts got a consolation prize of P2,000 each.
No less than Asia’s first Grandmaster and Hall of Famer Eugene Torre graced the two-day chessfest sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines with the full support of Ozamis City Mayor Henry Oaminal, Jr., Rep. Sancho Fernando Oaminal, and Ozamis City Administrator Atty. Sam Norman G. Fuentes.
It was organized by the Asenso Misamis Occidental Federated Chess Association in coordination with the Provincial Government of Misamis Occidental as the main highlight of the 76th Ozamiz City Charter Anniversary and feast of Nuestra Sra. dela Concepcion y del Triunfo de Migpangi.
Assisting chief arbiters Ronald Solon and Cuizon in running the show were computer technical experts Kevin Yap and Arbz Calido and assistant arbiters Regie Marfil and Jose Glenn Aleria.
