Friday, November 07, 2008 Davao woodpushers in Shell finals By Marianne Saberon-Abalayan
DAVAO City woodpushers are ready to do battle in the 16th Shell National Youth Active Chess Championships Grand Finals, which unwraps at the SM Megamall on Saturday and Sunday.
Mindanao leg kiddies champion Austin Jacob Literatus, an 11-year-old student from Don Juan dela Cruz Central Elementary School, said he is now feeling some jitters being a first-timer in the Shell national chessfest.
"Kulba kaayo. Wala ko kabalo kinsa akong mga makadula sa Manila. Nag-study ko. Nagpatudlo sad ko para preparasyon. (I'm nervous because I don't know who I will be up against. I studied and also got some lecture as part of my preparations)," the shy Literatus said during the Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at the Tower Inn Thursday.
Literatus, who trained with Eric Yngayo, was joined by Mindanao leg junior titlist Neptali Batucan III of Rogationist Academy in Toril, University of Mindanao's Adrian Dimakiling, Jose Maria College's Jester Andoy, and Holy Cross of Davao College's Mohammad Sacar in the weekly sports forum co-sponsored by Tower Inn, Growee, Zeeplus, and Evangelista Aquatics and Sports Management.
Batucan, who is seeing action in the grand finals for the third time, got his father, Neptali Batucan, Jr., as tutor.
He said he hopes to land a better finish this year to mark his debut in the junior category.
"I was entered in the kiddies event during my last two national stints. I finished 14th the last time. I hope I do better this time," Batucan said in the vernacular.
Dimakiling, whose first national finals performance was in 2006, said, "Laban gyud ko. Ungta maka place na gyud ko kay layo ra akong standing sa niaging dula nako. Gina-expect nako akong sarili nga buhaton ang tanang makaya para sa Davao (I will fight. I hope I can land a place this time since I was way behind in the standings the last time I competed. I expect myself to give everything I've got for Davao)."
The 18-year-old Andoy, meanwhile, is on his fourth year in the national finals.
"I'm proud to represent Davao again. I expect to win. I'll give all that I've learned in training in my every game. I hope to give Davao a good standing," Andoy, a student at Jose Maria College, said.
Sacar also hopes to outdo his showing last year as he acquired more expert training from National Master (NM) Prospero "Bebot" Cruz.
Other bets from Mindanao seeing action in the National Chess Federation of the Philippines-sanctioned meet are Jeazzir Kline Surposa of General Santos City Sped Integrated School, Aglipay Oberio of Nieves Villarica National High School, and Danilo Engay Jr. of F. Bangoy National High School.
