Durians stamp class in Davraa chess

MATI, Davao Oriental -- Davao City retained its titles except for the elementary boys chess team crown that went to Davao del Sur at the close of the 2010 Davao Region Athletics Association (Davraa) chess competition at Mati National Comprehensive High School here.

The Bryan Ursula-coached Davao City garnered perfect 10 points in elementary girls team event as Ella Grace Moulic and Hannah Joyce Amoncio kept their unbeaten slates after the final fifth round of the Swiss System format chessfest managed by Lydia Ampo.

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The Island Garden City of Samal earned six points for second while Davao del Sur came in close third with five points.

Asean Age-Group Chess Championships gold medalist Austin Jacob Literatus lost his fourth round match to an older player Aglipay Oberio of Igacos but still salvaged the city's secondary boys chess team gold as he and Robert Mendez combined for 7.5 points. Igacos and Panabo City wounded up for silver and bronze, respectively, with identical six points.

Nikki Erika Yngayo scored 4.5 points while Rowelyn Joy Acedo added four points to lift Davao City's secondary girls chess team gold finish with a total of 8.5 points. Igacos copped the silver anew while Davao del Sur got the bronze.

Davao del Sur's Rafael dela Torre and Raymart Silao, meanwhile, totalled nine points for the elementary boys chess team gold over Davao City's Jet Engay and Bhing Joel Gimony (5.5) and Compostela Valley's Jayson Jay Gurang and Richard Neric Vocales (2.5).

In individual events, 11-year-old Moulic edged teammate Amoncio via tiebreaks to capture the elementary girls singles gold as the latter went home with the silver. Panabo City's Bonisa Palmares finished with a bronze.

With his fourth round win over heavy favorite Literatus, Oberio clinched the secondary boys individual gold. Both woodpushers were tied at four points but Oberio had superior tiebreak.

Igacos chesser Exiquila Apao bested Davao City bets Nikki Erika Yngayo and Rowelyn Joy Acedo for the secondary girls individual gold with 4.5 points. The two Dabawenyas scored identical four points to pocket the silver and bronze, respectively.

Davao del Sur's Dela Torre also got the elementary boys individual gold with perfect five points while his teammate Raymart Silao and Davao City's Engay each got four points to grab the next two medals.

Ampo said only the top two players in the individual events will advance to the Palarong Pambansa set on April 11 to 17. The Davao Region is defending champion of the elementary boys team event. Literatus and then partner John Ray Batucan combined forces to bag the title in Tacloban City last year. (MLSA)