Balquin redeems self vs Gonzales

Monday, October 31, 2011

PAIRED against his former tormentor, Johnnel Balquin appeared too lucky in the final round to survive and grab the Open division title of the ongoing 1st Karak Tea Chess Tournament at the Day Care Center of Barnagay Patag.

"Hapit na sab ko na-igo (Again, I got almost upset)," Balquin said, referring to his final round match with Jake "The Snake" Gonzales.

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Handling white in a Slav defense encounter, Balquin found himself in trouble as Gonzales seized advantage in the opening which gradually developed into a winning mid-game position. But one dubious move was all Balquin needed to take control of everything in the endgame tussle.

"Na winning na pero nitukar ang nerbiyos," said third runner-up John Vincent Cayaba of Gonzales who earlier broke the heart of Balquin during the cash-rich Iligan Fiesta Open.

"Na outside de-kulambo si Balquin adto nga tournament kay gipilde siya ni Jake. Kadaghan na gyod na-winning si Jake kay Balquin medyo gaka-deklahan lang," recalled fellow Class A veteran, Jokorn Maestrado, who missed the pre-halloween Patag chessfest that lured in around 200 participants.

Balquin went home with the P1,500 top purse plus trophy, while runner-up Basilio Pandan got P1,000. For scoring similar 2.5 points in four rounds, Emmanuel Crisologo and Cayaba received P250 each.

A three-way logjam for the lead ensued in the exciting Women's Open rivalry with former Olympian in Woman National Master Loreshyl Cuizon Balase and the pair of last year's Dapitan Palaro qualifiers Alyssa Ysaiah Jamaca of Corpus Christi and Julie Anne Opema of Merry Child School logging in an identical 3 points going to the final round.

Loreshyl's husband Elias Balase, meanwhile, shares the lead with Neron Khu in Class B category that attracted a total of 58 players.

Balase defeated Venancio Quijano, while Khu downed Elizer Canlas to come up with perfect 4 points in the two-day tourney co-sponsored by Engineers Helbert R. Cual, Santiago L. Saludes and Jonard B. Tagalog and Edgardo C. Diano.

Main backer Engr. Tito Z. Opema also acknowledged Barangay Patag chairman Benedicto A. Fabricante for giving his full support in the youth-laden "chesstivity".

"Lipay si Kapitan (Fabricante) nga daghan ang nag-apil so, he's very interested to organize another big chess event in our barangay in the near future. Possibly kuno this Christmas," the fresh from Dubai Opema told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.