Batucan, Moulic beat rivals

DAVAO City top woodpushers John Ray Batucan and Ella Grace Moulic beat their respective rivals at the start of the 2013 National Age-Group Chess Championships (NAGCC) Mindanao Leg at the Robinson's Place in General Santos City as of Friday.

Top-seed Batucan, a resident of Toril, defeated 11th-ranked Jmor Kaiser Tejero to arrange a second round clash against Ryan Concepcion in boys under-20 event.

Batucan's elder brother Nephtali, seeded fourth, subdued No. 14 Ronnie Bague to also share the lead with five other first round winners.

Nephtali's next assignment is ninth-seed Jason Nabatlao.

Fifth-seed Clark Kent Anabieza of Jose Maria College, for his part, split the point with No. 15 Gene Edsel Butal to occupy the 10th spot of the 20-player field.

Girls under-16 top-seed Moulic of the Holy Cross of Davao College lived up to her billing by outclassing No. 7 Deanne Aubrey Surposa. The 2012 Palarong Pambansa double gold medalist Dabawenya collides with fourth-seed Janin Crisologo in the next round.

Davao Central College's Dhona Yngayo, who was seeded second, turned back No. 8 Yna Krisha Yngayo to next play No. 6 Dianne Frances Surposa, while third-seed Zsuzsa Grace Tabudlong of Barner School prevailed over ninth-seed Normie Jane Bendijo in the same category.

In girls under-20, University of Mindanao's Exiquila Apao demolished Nadyn Victoria Cruz while teammate Cristy Grace Ngo drew with Crystal Mae Dumago.

Davao City's other opening round winners were Eric Yngayo Jr., Kurt John Placencia, Earl Rhay Mantilla, Allen Davin de Asis (boys under-12); Lorraine Yngayo (girls under-12); Chrisus Joshua Sarchez (boys under-10); Bhing Joel Gimony (boys under-14) and Irish Yngayo (girls under-10).

The four-day Swiss System format chessfest organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines serves as qualifying for the grand finals that stakes slots to the 2013 Asean+ Age-Group Chess Championships set on June 8 to 17 in Bangkok, Thailand.