San Pedro College (SPC) accounting graduate Gino Angelo Asuncion and Caerel Shane Mantilla of the University of Mindanao (UM) shared top honors at the close of the APM Mindanao Chessmates Juniors Chess Tournament held over the weekend at the Damosa Market Basket in Lanang, Davao City.

Top ranked Asuncion tallied 4.5 points after five rounds in the juniors under-20 division of the Swiss System format chessfest, outclassing Wesley Jovan Magbanua of Jose Maria College and Neil Sebastian Enoc of SPC who placed second and third, respectively, with identical four points. Magbanua edged Enoc via superior tiebreaks, 14-13.

Asuncion bested 14th seed Edmar Llanto, seventh seed Enoc, fourth seed Honey Grace Buenafe and fifth seed Kurt John Placencia but drew with second seed Magbanua.

Buenafe was hailed as top junior lady player.

Meanwhile, top seed Mantilla scored perfect five points to beat four-pointers sixth seed Yreil Josh Hernani of Pathway Christian Academy and 11th seed Princess Dianna Simbajon of Tawad Echevarria Elementary School to clinch the kiddies title.

Mantilla turned back rivals Hernani, Lance Andrei Lao, Jim Briken Diabakid, Kyle Johann Ylanan and Shiela Mae Hernando in the past five rounds.

The juniors event drew a total of 25 woodpushers while the kiddies category had 26 chessers.

The top three players in each category received cash prizes of P1,000, P600 and P500 and medals.