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Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Virtual champ Mandaue relentless in final round
Although they would still end up champions even if all four players lost their final-round games, there was no slowing down for the Mandaue City squad in the windup of the 1st Mayor Antonio Canoy Inter-Cities and Municipalities Chess Team Tournament.
The runaway champion, which virtually clinched the title after the penultimate round, capped off a scintillating performance with a 3.5-.0.5 demolition of Aloguinsan/Carcar in the final round of the seven-round Swiss system tournament in San Fernando, Cebu.
The victory gave Mandaue City 23.5 points, 4.5 ahead of joint second-placers Cebu City Team A and Tuburan.
Draw
After showcasing his attacking prowess to log six straight wins and dazzle local chess enthusiasts who trooped to the San Fernando Sports Complex for a rare glimpse of the many-time RP team member, Mandaue City’s top-player International Master Richard Bitoon settled for a well-deserved “rest” in the final round, settling for a quiet draw with National Master Leonardo Alidani.
The rest of the Mandaue squad, however, had other things in mind.
Merben Roque became the tournament’s only player to log a perfect score after nailing his seventh straight win with a victory over Aloguinsan’s Glicel Gipega on board two, while Kim Steven Yap frustrated the board-three gold medal bid of Rey Loquez. Jobannie Tabada completed the rout with a win over Rey Flores on board four.
Athlete of the Year
Bitoon, the 1998 Sportswriters Association Cebu-San Miguel Corp. All-Cebu Sports co-Athlete of the Year with basketball heartthrob Dondon Hontiveros, had 6.5 points, which was enough to clinch the gold medal on board one.
Roque likewise clinched the gold on board two. Yap, top player of the University of San Carlos who will compete in the National Age-Group Championship next week, contributed 4.5 points on board three, while Tabada had 5.5 points for the Mandaue team, which is supported by Mandaue City Sports Commission chairperson Cheryl Ouano.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 17, 2006 issue)
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