Pason pockets top prize in USC chess

Monday, February 13, 2012

ALLAN Pason added another title as the 14-year-old second year high school student of Pajo National High School in Lapu-Lapu City topped the 1st University of San Carlos-Basic Education Department (USC-BED) Active Chess Tournament held at the USC-North Campus gym last Sunday.

Pason, the grand champion of the Cebu Chess Festival, the Guinness World Recordbreaking attempt for the largest chess tournament organized by the Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC) and the Cebu Chess Association (CCA), came out as the solo winner in the tournament participated by 84 players.

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Pason (1861), who was also the top seed of the tournament, finished with six wins and a draw for a total 6.5 points after seven rounds and took home the top prize of P3,000. He also expected to earn points as the event was sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

Second placer and No. 2 seed Diego Abraham Claro prevented Pason from sweeping all his assignments as they drew their game in Round 6.

Surprise

The biggest surprise in the tournament came from the unheralded Shaira Mae Monsalud, who finished the tournament with 6.0 points, to share the second to the 4th places with Claro (1859) and 14th seed Jeffu Durog (1720).

Monsalud, who was the last ranked player at the start of the tournament, pulled some daring surprises, beating Pason’s runner-up in the Cebu Chess Festival, Christian
Klent Pondoyo, in the seventh round.

However, Claro had the higher tiebreak points at 34.5, earning him the second place finish. Monsalud had 32.0 to place third and Durog had 25.0 to place fourth.

Third seed Rhenzi Kyle Sevillano (1845), Glexan Derotas (1741) and Ariel Joseph Abellana (1665) shared the fifth to the seventh places as they tied with 5.5 points, while Airene Robillos (1780), Jethro Ysmael Claro (1767), Ryan Pacres (1707), Chris Aldritz Pondoyo (1693), Jeremy Pepito (1663), Vice Glysen Derotas (1759), Lyan Portes, Laila Camel Nadera (1572), James Virneer Parason (1681) and Jose Adolfo Jr. (1670) shared the 8th to the 17th places with 5.0 points each.

Robillos, on the other hand, was female top player and Jasia Dorog was the youngest player in the tournament.