Winning the tiebreaker over Abasolo, Lumancas and Maestrado

CAGAYAN de Oro's remaining stable of purely home ground talents defended turf like no other on Sunday's finale of the first-ever Mayor Dongkoy Emano Cup summer chess tournament at SM City, Cagayan de Oro City.

After thumping off the title hunt of Misamis Oriental ace Johnnel Balquin in the penultimate round, Silverio Abasolo agreed to a truce with National Master Levi Mercado in the 8th and final round to secure his place in the top ladder.

Nazareth pride Jokorn "Alamid" Maestrado also redeemed his status by scalping off the head of another worthy opponent in former junior sensation Bryan Jose of Talakag Municipal government, using the same strategy that made him as one of the city's most important chess models to the chess-playing youth.

"Ganon pa rin ang diskarte ko. Hindi tayo marunong mag-checkmate. Oks na ang one pawn up hanggang kusang mag-resign ang kalaban," the always playful Maestrado, who earlier conquered Xavier University coach Emmanuel Crisologo, jokingly said.

More impressive, however, was newly-minted Fide Master Lyndon Lumancas who won the battle of tactical melee in another Sicilian Dragon bout with the highly-fancied National Master Rustum Tolentino.

Fresh from numerous outings abroad, the now Dubai-based Tolentino of Barangay Balulang actually had a winning line with white. But his slow maneuver in a complicated middlegame gave Lumancas the chance to spew the dragon fire.

"Dragon variation gihapon iyang gigamit adtong napilde siya ni Baby (NM Mercado) sa penultimate round. Sa last round, nakabuga ra gyod og kalayo iyang Sicilian Dragon," Crisologo said of the soft-spoken Lumancas.

Abasolo, Mercado, Lumancas and Maestrado got 7 points each in 8 rounds to equally divide among themselves the combined P17,000 cash prizes for the top-4 finishers. But Mercado's superior tiebreak points have catapulted him to notch the wooden King-shaped championship trophy.

Abasolo checked in second place with Lumancas and Maestrado occupying third and fourth places, respectively.

To Balquin's consolation, he succeeded to beat with the white pieces perennial nemesis in Barangay 23 chair Jaime Joshua Frias II and got the highest tiebreak over fellow 6.5 pointers Randolph Christopher Dalauta (6th) and Renan Cantilado (7th) to grab the 5th place honor.

Sharing 8th to 18th places with similar 6 points were: Jose, Tolentino, Basilio Pandan Jr., Woman National Master Loreshyl Cuizon-Balase, Rudy Pesimo, Onie Abejuela, Paul Omongos, Eric Lim, Fahad Macagungun, Jejomar Salva¤a and Xavier University's "kolehiyala" Christine Ivy Amper.

Next to Cantilado (6.5 pts) as top Class B players were Pesimo (6), Abejuela (6), Lim (6) and Fahad Macagungun.

WNM Cuizon-Balase's fellow top 5 ladies were Amper (6), Lorelie Cuizon (5.5), Alyssa Ysaiah Jamaca (5) and Carol Anne Chua (5).

The top 3 juniors were XU's Paul Omongos (6) and Jayson Nabatlao (5.5) and Corpus Christi's Jason Chezter Coquilla (5) with lawyer Achmad Tomambiling, Oscar Arroyo and Albert Bullo as the top seniors.

With more than 400 woodpushers from the city and the province of Misamis Oriental participating, overall event director Gerardo "Boboy" Sabal said he is certain that the Mayor's Cup chessfest will have a quick follow up.

"Lipay atong mayor (Dongkoy Emano) ini nga development. So, sigurado nga mausab pa kini nga torneyo. Pinaka-ideal siguro in December month isip pamasko sa atong mga local chess players," Sabal told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.

Arbiter Lorenzo "Jun" Cuizon said he's still sorting out the summer tourney's final results in elementary and secondary levels.

"Basta, ma surprise ang local chess community nga aduna nay changing of guards sa atong chess in the age-group level," Cuizon said.