Lesaca, Moulic annex chess titles

JON Christian Lesaca and Ella Grace Moulic lived up to their billing by bagging 20-under titles at the close of the Mayor Inday Sara and Vice Mayor Rody Kadayawan Age-Group Chess Championships at the NCCC Mall of Davao over the weekend.

Lesaca edged fellow 4.5 scorer Neptali Batucan via tiebreak to rule the boys event. The latter finished runner-up, while top-seed Austin Jacob Literatus of Doña Carmen Denia National High School placed third.

The older Lesaca beat stunned multi-titled Literatus in the final fifth round.

Holy Cross of Davao College's Moulic, who tallied 4.5 in the five-round Swiss System format chessfest, bested Mary Israel Palero (4.0) and Zsuzsa Grace Tabudlong (3.5) who wounded up in the next two spots.

In 16-under, Alberto Diolola made perfect five points for the boys crown while four-pointers Ben Clyde Castro and John Ray Batucan came second and third, respectively.

The girls 16-under title went to Yna Krisha Yngayo (4.5) as Dhona Yngayo (4.0) grabbed the second place and Angel Davao (4.0) came third.

Ateneo de Davao University's John Marvin Miciano, for his part, swept all his five games to emerge champion in boys 14-under. He prevailed over four-pointers Gino Angelo Asuncion and Neil Teriote, among others.

Jessa Marie Bautista (4.5) stamped her rivals in the distaff side including runner-up Mary Lou Amora (4.0) and Klea Bondaon (3.5).

The rest of the champions: Carl Zirex Sato (boys 12-under), Frince Ezra Oclasia (girls 12U), Kurt Placencia (boys 10U), Irish Yngayo (girls 10U), Juan Karlos Polias (boys 8U) and Blance Bongato (girls 8U).

The two-day age-group meet was sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) and presented by the City Government of Davao through the Sports Development Division of the City Mayor's Office (SDD-CMO).