THE more experienced players breezed through the qualifying tourney for the Regional Meet Palarong Pampook chess competition at Carmen National High School in Cagayan de Oro City, over the weekend.
The Xavier University pair of Adrian Othniel Yulo and Gian Patrick Espiritu, who will both graduate this year, scored a similar 4.5 points to make a 1-2 finish in the City Division Meet chess rivalry for secondary boys division and move to represent the city in the coming regional meet tentatively set in Tangub City.
Matthew Mutia of Oro Christian Grace School placed third with 4 points, while public school representative Alex Vincent Bug-os and Corpus Christi’s David Rey Ancheta occupied fourth and fifth, respectively, with 3.5 points and 3 points apiece.
“It’s good that my wards (Yulo and Espiritu) made it to the regional meet, though I regress sa qualifying format kay bitin short ra gyod kaayo ang five rounds na qualifying tourney,” said XU coach Silverio Abasolo.
Equally-dominant were the Corpus Christi tandem of Palaro veteran Lorebina Carrasco II and Gwen Escarda who lorded it over in secondary girls category. But while Carrasco handily won the championship on board one with 4.5 points, her CCS compatriot Escarda had to nose out fellow 4-pointer Shaina Grace Garcia of Xavier University high school via a thrilling tiebreaker to qualify.
Asean Age-Group standout Ruelle “Tawing” Canino of Kauswagan Elementary School yielded just a draw in five rounds to advance as Janiella Maeren Garcia of Golden Cedar Academy also edged out Zheya Capilitan of Masterson Avenue Elementary School in the tiebreaker for the 4-pointers to join Canino in the regional finals.
The City Central School bets of Niko Tabacuan and Joseph Alexis dela Rama finished in a tie at 4.5 points for elementary boys level to complete the COAA cast as regional meet chess qualifiers.
“The Corpus Christi ladies and the City Central boys were very consistent. After leading their respective teams to winning the team chess championships in the recent 2018 Mindanao Milo Little Olympics ila na sab gi-dominate ang City Division Meet qualifier,” said DepEd chess arbiter Angelito Felisilda.