Tuesday, April 08, 2008 Davao bets earn Vietnam stint By Marianne Saberon-Abalayan
DAVAO City's John Ray Batucan and Rowelyn Joy Acedo won slots to the Asean Age-Group Championships in Denang, Vietnam after emerging champion and runner-up, respectively, in their events at the close of in the 2008 National Age-Group Chess Championships at the Kaban ng Hiyas, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila.
Batucan tallied 7.7 points to beat Christian Nanola (seven points) and Vince Angelo Medina (6.5) in the boys' under 12 category of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP).
Acedo, a standout of Jose Maria College, beat two other 5.0 scorers -- Ma. Ysabelle Joyce Semillano and Crissa Canada -- via the tiebreak. She finished behind Jean champion Karen Enriquez, who had six points.
Davao's Dhona Yngayo got a share of the fifth to seventh spots with 4.5 points.
Batucan received P5,000 cash prize, while Acedo got P3,000. Both players, who also received trophies, will represent the country in the Vietnam meet slated June 11 and 20.
Another Davao woodpusher, Mary Israel Palero, landed at the fourth spot with 4.5 points in the girls' under 16, qualified to a playoff for a slot in the World Junior Festival to be held also in Vietnam.
Jerwell Andoy tied for the second to fifth place with fellow 6.5 scorers Richelieu Iii Salcedo, Leo Daylo Jr., and Michael Joseph Pagaran in the boys' under 18 event that was topped by Karl Victor Ochoa.
University of Mindanao's National Prisaa Meet player Adrian Dimakiling, who earned six points, tied for 12th to 14th while 4.5 scorer Jester Andoy tied for 21st to 27th in the same division.
Davao's National Age-Group first-timer Lloyd Matthew Resma got four points to share eighth to 14th slots in the boys under-eight while Eric Yngayo Jr. registered three points for a share of the 17th to 22nd places.
John Gerard Acedo, elder brother of Rowelyn, came out with 5.5 points for a share of the 13th to 16th places in the boys' under 14, while Nikki Rica Yngayo earned 3.5 to share 17th to 21st places in the girls' under 14.
