AMONG the few players from Manila who braved Mindanao, the youthful Joel Obogne racked up three-straight wins yesterday to emerge as the only perfect scorer in the ongoing Mindanao Leg of the 4th National Executive Chess Championship at the Limketkai Mall, Cagayan de Oro City.
Mindanao’s foursome of Cleto Vasquez, Cosain Magarang, Jaime Joshua Frias II, and Joselito Dormitorio followed him at 2.5 points in the seven-round Rapid tourney that lured in at least 30 of the country’s top executive chess players.
“I feel the intensity of the executives’ rivalry. The field is lean but (means) it is so hard to score,” said National Master James Infiesto of Davao City.
Infiesto formed part of a big bunch of two-pointers that included Santiago Lumancas II, Arena Fide Master (AFM) Fr. Vic Arellano, Mark Geoffrey Marinay, Renato Goopio, Cipiriano Magalso, Renato Arroyo, and Arena Grandmaster Rey Cris Urbiztondo.
The Provincial Government of Misamis Oriental and the City of Cagayan de Oro jointly sponsored the executive chess fest organized by the Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental Chess Association (CMOCA) in partnership with the Philippine Executive Chess Association (PECA).
The top three winners will bring home P15,000, P10,000, and P7,000 cash each plus trophies.
The fourth and fifth placers will get P5,000 and P3,000, respectively. While the rest of the top-ten finishers will receive P1,000 apiece also with medals.
Special awards of P1,000 each plus medals will go to the Top Senior (60 and older), Top 1900 and Below, and Top Unrated participants.
