Saturday, October 20, 2007 Salgados, Chavez start bid in Shell Grand finals
FCD'S (Fighting Chess Defenders) pioneering products Lennon Hart Salgados, 14 of Corpus Christi and Antonio Chavez Jr., 17 of CDO-National High School plunge into action today as the 2007 Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship formally opens at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.
"It's gonna be a tough battle but the two of them stand a good chance of winning the national titles in kiddies and junior divisions despite nga wala silay suporta sa siyudad," said National Master Levi Mercado who will be coaching the Barangay Bonbon prides along with the FCD's founding head.
Forty-eight finalists, who survived the grueling four-month nationwide eliminations, pit wits in the Shell Grandfinals, featuring the country's best in 20-below and 14-under categories.
Two Letran stalwarts, Stephen Laceste and Givy Bartolome, will head the 24-player cast in the Juniors Division of the event gathering the top three finishers from each of the eight qualifying stages held from June to September in various provinces nationwide.
Laceste edged three-time Palaro champion Jan Emmanuel Garcia of Ateneo and FEU's Luffe Magdalaga to rule the second leg in Tuguegarao, while Bartolome led the Batangas leg winners, who include James Fernandez of University of Nueva Caceres and PMI's Arvin Dableo.
Joining them in the 9-round Swiss system finals of the 20-and-under category are NCR leg representatives Mari Joseph Turqueza of Diliman Prep. School, Jayson Mercado of SSC and Vic Neil Villanueva of UST; Dagupan qualifiers John Morazo and Lyndon Sombilon of FEU and Benjie Macoy of San Carlos College, Pangasinan; Iloilo top finishers Ellan Asuela (Bacolod), Marvin Ting (Bacolod) and Rolly Parondo Jr. (Iloilo); Cebu leg qualifiers Johnny Carzano (Ozamiz City), Antonio Chavez Jr. (Cagayan de Oro National High School) and Boris Diez (Davao City); Davao leg finalists Chito Dimakiling II (Davao City), Jerwell Andoy and Jester Andoy (Davao City); and Zamboanga leg top finishers Mohamad Sacar (Cotabato City), Patrick Erle Florendo (Zamboanga City) and Bryll John Arellano (Negros Occidental).
