GOLDCREST Marketing Chesson pawnpushers had a little luck just enough to give them the crowning glory.
Julius Ablin scored only 1 point on board 3, but productive showing by National Master Levi Mercado (5 points) and Abdul Halil Abdullah (6 points) earned ten match points for Goldcrest-Chesson en route to winning the 7th Tablon Barangay Fiesta "Tatluhan" Chess Team Tournament held recently at the covered court of Barangay Tablon, Cagayan de Oro City.
For their feat, the wards of NM Roly Tan and premier team manager Jayson Nabatlao bagged the P12,000 top purse and the champion's trophy.
"Grabe, buwenas kaayo sila. One point lang ang nakuha sa board 3 ni-champion pa," were the words emanated from the playing venue.
(Wow, they are so lucky. They get only one point in board 3 yet they’re still the champion.)
Sharing second to sixth places with six match points each were Mantima Chess Club, CDO Executives, Kawasaki-Valencia, Chesson C and Donzel 07.
The visiting Mantima chessers had NM Roger Sarip, Janalan Maromosalic and Sarangani Usman piling up 5.5, 5 and 3.5 points apiece to claim the runner-up prize of P8,000.
The CDO Executives of Jaime Joshua Frias II, Cleto "Bong" Vasquez and Jun Gunayan and the Kawasaki-Valencia of Randolph "Dodoy" Dalauta and Ronnel Rempohito collared the third and fourth prizes worth P5,000 and P3,000, respectively, also with medals.
Kawasaki Valencia and Chesson C, bannered by Ronald Canino and Mario Arroyo, received P2,000 and P1,500 each.
"Bong Vasquez was our hero. Naka third pa `mi with him producing 6 points on board 2," acknowledged Frias.
The rest of the top ten team finishers, including Masters Class-Chesson, Chesson B, Gingoog-Chesson and EWL Midsayap Team settled for P1,000 apiece.
Nazario Ubanan and David Rey Ancheta earlier made a 1-2 finish in the Individual Open to go home P6,000 and P3,000 richers.
The sponsoring Tablon Barangay Council, headed by Punong Barangay Billy “Kid” Auza, also allocated P1,000 each plus medals for the top lady, top youngest, top senior, top elementary, top high school and top Tablon (resident) participants.