AFTER dominating the Individual Open, David Elorta was poised to win all the marbles when he led the MindMovers.ph Chess Club to the final seventh round of Team Tatluhan with a one-point edge over the 28-team field.
But senator Manny Pacquiao’s Maharlika Pilipinas Chess League (MCPL) Team spoiled it all, following a thrilling two-one victory over Elorta and company in the Mr. & Mrs. Leo G. Wabe, Sr Fide-Rated Memorial Cup last Sunday afternoon at the Limketkai Mall, Cagayan de Oro City.
Needing just a draw, the MindMovers were almost there after Roberto Pablito Salomon Jr avenged the loss of Elorta to Sherwin Tiu on board one by defeating Roumundo Jaime Alexis Edades Jr on board three, then youthful Christian James Aquino established a drawish position against the veteran Rodolfo Panopio Jr on board two.
In fact, Panopio offered a draw to Aquino after seeing no improvement in their move sequences.
But to the spectators’ great surprise, Aquino turned it down and later made some erratic moves that cost him the game and the championship.
“Personally, the team title is very important to me the reason why gapaningkamot gyod ko sa board three. Yes, champion na ‘mi kon gidawat ni Christian ang offer nga draw. Pero siya man ang nagdula,” a disheartened Salomon told Gold Star Daily.
The surprising defeat ensued a tie between MPCL Team and MindMovers at 11 match points, but the former secured the crown and the P50,000 top purse by virtue of higher tiebreak results, 15.5 to 14.
The MindMovers got the P25,000 second prize, while the Reel Abron composed of Ellan Asuela, Abdul Halil Abdullah, and Ronnel Cantonjos, finished third despite a zero-three debacle at the hands of Toledo Trojan-Xignex (Rommel Ganzon, Bonn Rainauld Tibod, Genesis Apog) in the final round.
The Reel Abron and Zambo Wizard (John Christian Lesaca, Jones Maghuyop, Cipriano Magalso) chessers were actually tied with Toledo Trojan-Xignex and CIPMAG Warriors 2 (Jay Bulicatin, Gerald Cavan, Ronnel Alsado) at 10 MP points.
But Reel Abron and Zambo Wizard prevailed for the third and fourth prize honors worth P15,000 and P5,000 after the Bucholz tiebreaker.
Rounding up the top-10 finishers are Maritima Chess Club 1(FM Nelson Villanueva, Allan Cantonjos, Abner Cantonjos), Team Parabellum (Nazario Ubanan, Jan Francis Mirano, NM Christian Gian Karlo Arca), Mi Amore Construction Service (Antonio Chavez Jr, Charles Joseph Laya, Odyzseus Rey Banaag) and Donzel 07 (Johnnel Balquin, Arian Belly Calido, Roland Sajetarios).
