Sunday, December 21, 2008 Stolich-Anya battles IM Bitoon-led Cebu
TAGAYTAY and Stolich-Anya maintained their 1-2 position after five rounds of the cash-rich Handuraw Chess Festival in Dapital City.
Fide Master Roderick Nava and Lennon Hart Salgados, a 15-year-old sensation from Cagayan de Oro, provided big blows to Anya's hard-earned 2.5-1.5 conquest of Davao City as Johnnel Balquin fought to a draw on board 2. Cesar Apalla faltered anew on board 3.
The South Cotabato-based Stolich-Anya of team manager Lito Dormitorio is now just one point behind pacesetter Tagaytay powered by Grandmaster Darwin Laylo.
Nava, the still unbeaten Salgados (4.5/5) and company are still battling with defending champion Cebu anchored by International Master Richard Bitoon, IM-elect Kim Steven Yap, Voltaire Sevillano, Merven Roque and Richard Natividad, as of press time.
"This is our team's most crucial encounter and the tourney's appetizer of the day. One point lang ang lamang ng Tagaytay so, mathematically, it's still a wide-open race for the title," Dormitorio said of the ongoing Stolich-Cebu tussle.
Trailing Tagaytay (9 pts) and Stolich-Anya (8 pts) are Cebu and Surigao (7 pts) and Ipil, Camarines Sur and Davao del Norte at 6 points each with only two rounds to go in this seven-round Swiss System event.
A total of P300,000 in cash prizes are at stake with the champion getting P100,000.
