FOR the second straight year, Misamis Oriental will be remembered as the undisputed champion in the age-group level of the cash-rich Ozamiz chessfest held July 9-10 at the AYA Hotel and Residences in Clarin, Misamis Occidental.
With the 19-year-old Grandmaster elect, Daniel Quizon of Dasmariñas Chess Academy pocketing the P100,000 top prize in the Open division, National Master Keith Adriane Ilar of El Salvador City and Quarl Maverick Vera Cruz of Balingoan went on to share the top honors in the age group rivalries for elementary and secondary students.
So impressive was the Asian Youth Chess-bound Ilar, who scored 8.5 points in 9 rounds or a full point ahead of his closest pursuer, to bring home the P60,000 top purse in the Under 17 category of the historic 2nd Governor Henry S. Oaminal Open Chess Tournament.
Vera Cruz, who played to a draw with last year’s champion Sebastian Marbas of Cagayan de Oro in the 7th and final round, edged out fellow 6.5 pointers Jake Andre Aballar of Butuan City in the Bucholz tiebreaker, 36.5 to 33.5, to nail the Under-13 title and also went home P60,000-richer.
Defending elementary champion Janine Dhrey Quere-quere was not around to defend the title as she qualified and competed in the 2024 Palarong Pambansa in Cebu City where she ended up capturing Northern Mindanao’s lone gold in chess in the standard event.
“Quere-quere is from Balingoan, iya ra pud teammate sa Balingoan (Vera Cruz) ang nipuli pag champion sa Ozamiz which only shows how deep atong chess talent reservoir in Misamis Oriental,” arbiter Lorenzo Cuizon told Gold Star Daily.
“The Paglaum MisOr players are not only dominant in Region 10 but in the entire country because the Ozamiz event is arguably national in scope,” said Arena Grandmaster Rey Urbiztondo.
“We hope to see them again (MisOr chessers) in our bigger tournament this coming November. Of course, we also thank our sponsors for helping us to raise the bar in the excellent organization of a national competition,” added Urbiztondo, referring to Governor Henry S. Oaminal, Ozamiz City Mayor Henry F. Oaminal Jr and Rep. Sancho Fernando Oaminal.
The promising Ilar was supposed to also play in Cebu Palaro, but its conflicting schedules with the 8th Eastern Asian Youth Chess Championship 2024 in Malaysia have prompted him to see action instead in Ozamiz.
“And it was a wise decision kay iyang pagdaug sa Ozamiz nakabitbit pa siya'g P60K heading to the Asian Youth Chess Championship in Malaysia. Taas pa sab iyang playing years nga mo-qualify balik sa Palaro,” said computer chess technical expert Arian Belly Calido.
NM John Cyrus Borce of Zamboanga City, Sean Kenneth Cogonon, Carl Jasphyr Lloyd Field of Digos City, and Arena Grandmaster Ghian Michael Aleria of Dipolog City placed second up to 5th place to receive P30,000, P20,000, P10,000 and P6,000 each.
Completing the top-10 circle with a P2,000 reward apiece are Karl Adrian Dalauta, Jess Raphael Aballar, Keirt Rolevan Rusia, Jeshua Lagunay, and Lyn Getubig.
Another Asian Youth qualifier in newly-minted Woman National Master Sara Dalagan of Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental made it to the top 10 but chose to go with the Top Female award worth P6,000.
The remaining Under-13 top five performers ― Jake Andre Aballar of Butuan City, Marbas, Xian MacGyver Caneos and Arena Candidate Master Ashzkey Aya Nicole Paquinol of Cagayan de Oro ― also got P30,000, P20,000, P10,000 and P6,000, respectively.
Rounding up the top 10 with P2,000 take-home each is Francis Nathaniel Embolode, Samuel Raphael Guillermo, Lee Arzhel Partosa, Cyreine Jean Borce, and Markley Partosa.
