Friday, November 07, 2008 Batucan eyes Board 1 berth in DCAA chess
FRESH from his 24th place finish in the World Youth Age-Group Chess Championships in Vung Tau, Vietnam, Davao City pride John Ray Batucan will try to hurdle another challenge when he plays two promising players in a play-off for the Board 1 slot of the Davao City Athletic Association (DCAA) boys elementary team today.
Batucan, a graduating student at the Don Juan dela Cruz Central Elementary School, said he will have to play Patrick Miguel Aquino of Stela Maris Academy of Davao and Jason Engay who forced a deadlock during the just-concluded DCAA Meet.
"I have beaten both of them in past tournaments. I hope I can beat them again so I can win the right to represent the city in the Davao Regional Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet as a board 1 player," Batucan said in the vernacular during the Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at the Tower Inn Thursday.
A win by Batucan against Aquino and Engay will grab him the coveted slot, otherwise, he will have to kiss his Davraa hopes goodbye. The Davraa Meet is the qualifying meet for the 2009 Palarong Pambansa set in Tacloban City.
Austin Jacob Literatus, also from Don Juan dela Cruz Central Elementary School, emerged Board 2 winner. He is also set to compete in his first-ever Shell National Youth Active Chess Championships grand finals on Saturday and Sunday at the SM Mega Mall.
Batucan, the chess ace from Toril, wasn't able to compete in the DCAA qualifying event as he was in Vung Tau playing for Team Philippines in the boys' open 12 event where he closed at no. 24 among 94 participants from all over the world.
He said he was happy that the DCAA organizers gave him a chance to still play for a slot in the Davraa-bound team. MLSA
