Enriquez Jr. tops with end-game strategy

NATIONAL Master Rogelio Enriquez Jr. won the Colonnade Sinulog Chess Festival Open title against Yves Christian Fiel at the 2nd Floor Activity Center of Colonnade Mall last Sunday.

Enriquez was trailing by half a point into the final round to Fiel, who was unbeaten through six matches, to lead the field of 72 participants with six points.

However, Enriquez, who also coached the University of San Jose-Recoletos chess team, had experience and better end-game strategies as his main weapons in beating the youthful Fiel and won the P7,000 top prize.

Trailing

Fiel shared the second and third places with Richard Natividad, who also finished with six points following his victory over NM Merben Roque in the final round, but Fiel had superior tie-break points over Natividad, 23.5, against 19.5 to take the runner-up finish.

Also making a final round turnabout were Melvin Merelos and Michael Joseph Pagaran who took the fourth and fifth places with 5.5 points each.

Merelos defeated youthful upstart Rhenzi Kyle Sevillano, who was half a point ahead after six rounds while Pagaran defeated Boy Malinao to pocket P1,500 each from the combined P3,000 cash prizes for the fourth and fifth finishers.

Roque, Sevillano, his uncle Voltaire Sevillano, Alfer Joseph Fernandez, Venancio Loyola, Bon Rainauld Tibod, Ceferino Vizco, Leo Lofranco and Jupiter Sevillano all finished with 5 points to share the 6th to 14th places.

Tie breaks

Meanwhile, James Andrew Balbona defeated his older brother John Francis via tie break points to win the Kiddies Division title.

The Balbonas finished with six points after seven rounds, but James Andrew had the higher tie break points of 24 over John Francis 20 to win the title.

Finishing behind the Balbonas were Adrian Basilgo (5.5), Edel Vosotros (5.5), Chris Aldritz Pondoyo (5.0), Laila Nadera (5.0) and Christian Pondoyo (5.0).

KC Moralla, meanwhile, won the Top Ladies title after finishing with 3.5 points in the Open Category. She was followed by Shaira Mae Monsalud, Airene Robillos and Vic Glysen Derotas who finished with three points.