TEAM Cepca A recorded eight wins and yielded only one game to rule the second edition of the Boy Pestaño Memorial Open Chess Team Tournament at the Barracks Chess Club, Robinsons’ Galleria Cebu, last Sunday.
The team composed of National Master (NM) Rogelio Enriquez Jr. on Board 1, NM Arnolito Cadiz on Board 2 and Jong Melendez on Board 3 earned a total of 16 points to win the title and the P25,000 cash purse.
Jethro Esplanada, Jefte Crebillo and Robert John Padel of Team KKK garnered 14 points from six wins, two draws and one loss to take second place in the two-day tournament organized by Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association (Cepca).
AIM Coop, which was represented by Cagayan de Oro City’s sports scribe Joshua Jaime Frias II, Wilhelm Joey Ardiente and Leo Cortes, bagged third place with an identical score of 14 points.
Team KKK, Aim Coop and Toledo City were in a three-way tie after nine rounds. KKK got the second place, AIM Coop took third place and Toledo City settled for fourth place after the tiebreak.
The runners-up did not go home empty-handed as the second placer got P15,000, the third placer got P10,000 and the fourth placer got P5,000.
The rest of the top 10 teams are Danao City Chess Club (13), Cepca B (12), San Fernando (12), Star Wars Team (12), RJK Team (12) and BEST (12).
The chess tournament sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines attracted 168 player or 56 teams. The event was one of the activities for Cepca’s 28th anniversary celebration.
It was also in honor of Cepca’s founding president, the late Boy Pestaño, a chess columnist of both SunStar Cebu and Superbalita Cebu.
“We got more than what we expected. It was a good turnout. A lot of young players also participated. It’s great to see them play because they’re the future of chess,” said Cepca president Engr. Jerry Maratas. (RSC)