DABAWENYO Fide master (FM) Austin Jacob Literatus seemed to be on a roll after bagging the championship of the 2nd Atty. Jong Guevarra Mindanao Online Blitz Grand Prix over the weekend following his sweeping two other tournaments recently.
Toril-based Literatus, a bemedaled National University varsity woodpusher in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), amassed a total of 145 points after three legs of the chessfest sponsored by lawyer Jong Guevarra, who recently celebrated his birthday, and organized by Ely Acas.
He survived past fellow Dabawenyo Harison Maamo of Matina and former De La Salle University (DLSU) varsity player Jayson Salubre who placed second and third, respectively.
Maamo totaled 134 points while Salubre garnered 116 in the tournament, exclusive for Mindanao players, held via lichess.org.
The top three grand prix winners received cash prizes of P1,200, P800 and P500.
The Davao ace said he won since “kabisado na nako mga tira sa kalaban og kabisado napud nako ang time control (bullet) sa dula (I’m already familiar with the moves of my opponents and I have gotten accustomed to the time control).”
He also admitted that it was tough playing opposite Salubre. “Solid iyang mga depensa ug sige napud mi dula (His defense is solid and we have been playing each other for quite some time),” Literatus told SunStar Davao yesterday.
In the third leg, Literatus earned 56 points in 21 matches played while Salubre scored 46 and Maamo made 42 points.
Literatus grabbed 16 wins, drew his matches with Lopez, Oberio and Alfred Moulic of Buhangin, Davao City. He, however, lost to national master (NM) Jonathan Tan and Salubre.
Rounding up the top five were Aglipay Oberio (33 points) of the Island Garden City of Samal and arena grand master (AGM) Henry Roger Lopez (31) of Panabo City.
Literatus also clinched the National Master Prospero Cruz Memorial Blitz Arena and Happy Easter Chess Arena nationwide online chess tournament titles.