By Lynde Salgados
Correspondent
THE Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates failed to solve the puzzle that is the Zamboanga Sultans who defeated them anew, 33-27 in the last stage of the 2021 Mindanao Friendly Chess Tour’s online series matches concluded August 28 via Chessbase.com.
The six-point difference was salt to the wound for the Checkmaters who also yielded to Zambo Sultans by a close two points (9.5-11.5) during the All-Mindanao match-up in the imports-flavored 2nd Conference of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) tournament.
Both quarterfinalists in the Southern league of the ‘Wesley So Cup’ Second Conference, the Zambo Sultans, and the Checkmaters will be back in the season-ending Third Conference of the country’s first-ever play-for-pay chess league in September, this year.
“These friendly exercises served well and were good for the Mindanao teams as they could make further adjustments in assessing their weaknesses and strengths prior to PCAP’s Open Conference next month,” said the event organizer and the Surigao Fianchetto team owner Engr. Rey Urbiztondo.
Not even the return of Surigao’s top-board player in Grandmaster Enrico Sevillano and the undefeated run of female compatriot Aubrey de Guzman could stop the Zamboanga side from imposing its supremacy.
The 53-year-old Sevillano, the 2008 US champion and runner-up in the recently-held Central California Open 2021, and the promising de Guzman led Surigao's charge in the opener, 9-6 along with the victories of National Master Jonathan Tan, Lennon Hart, Arena Grandmaster Henry Lopez, Antonio Chavez Jr., Fr. Vic Arellano and the other lady chesser Charita Barata.
The Zambo Sultans came back with a hard-earned 8-7 squeaker in the second round of the blitz contest with their top five titled players in Fide Master Jesse Sales and National Masters Zulfikar Sali, Raymond Salcedo, Joey Albert Florendo, and Butch Villavieja ― emerging all triumphant ― in the company of Patrick Erle Florendo, Dr. Jenny Mayor, and Sarah Mae Chua.
But to Surigao’s great surprise, that narrow one-point edge was all the Zambo team needed to catch fire in the final rapid showdown that saw them winning from boards two to seven en route to a convincing 19-11 shellacking or a total of 33-27 team margins.
“Grabe nakalitan ‘mi si Ikong (GM Sevillano) ra nakaligtas sa top boards. Of course, we’ll work out on this Achilles heel which is the rapid challenge,” said Urbiztondo, who also thanked the Caraga selection, Northern Mindanao, and the Davao Executives Chess Society’s participation in the month-long regional matches.
“It fostered camaraderie and sportsmanship among Filipino chess players yet still compliant to the ‘stay at home and social distancing’ pandemic health protocols,” added Urbiztondo.
The PCAP tourney, the first in the country with the players receiving talent fees just like in basketball, volleyball, and football, is headed by president/commissioner in lawyer Paul Elauria and chairman Michael Angelo Chua.
