MICHAEL Joseph Pagaran showed off his mastery even in an online platform as he outshone over 100 players in the first online tournament hosted by the Cebu Executives Professionals Chess Association (Cepca).
The 29-year-old chess wizard garnered a total of 54 points to win the Cepca President’s Cup crown that came with a P2,000 cash prize on Saturday night, May 23, 2020.
Pagaran, a graduate of Electronics and Communication Engineering at the Bohol Institute of Technology-International College, is not new to the limelight as he was once a gold medalist in the Palarong Pambansa and in the Private Schools Athletic Association.
Pagaran won all but one of his 18 games in the tournament that used the arena system, where players play as many games within two hours.
A win is worth two points and one point for a draw. If a player gets two consecutive wins, the next win is worth four points until the end of the win streak.
Pagaran, who’s now a chess coach for the Cebu City Sports Commission (CCSC), tallied an impressive 12 consecutive wins to bounce back from his lone loss in the sixth game. He finished with 54 points from 17 wins and one loss.
During the enhanced community quarantine, Pagaran conducts a free online chess clinic for elementary students from all public schools in Cebu City together with fellow coach IM Kim Steven Yap.
Bryle Arellano (38) finished at second place, Antonio Cabibil (34) placed third, Jave Mareck Peteros (34) settled in fourth place and Rosendo Yamyamin (34) rounded up the Top 5 in the first online open tournament in the 30-year history of Cepca.
The rest of the Top 10 are Ariel Joseph Abellana (33), Eden Diano (32), Rolzon Roullo (32), NM Rommel Ganzon (30) and Ruel Nuttal (30).
The second to fourth placers won P1,500, P1,000 and P700, while the fifth to 10th placers got a consolation prize of P500 each.
Meanwhile, Cabibil, Yamyamin and Nuttal were the Top 3 in the Cepca A rankings, while Percival Fiel, Randy Cabuncal and Richard Ouano topped the Cepca B. Sheila Khan Sepanton was hailed as the top female player and Dave Lavandero made it to the top in Under-14.
The online tournament was held during the birthday of Cepca president Jerry Maratas.
The registration was free as a treat of Maratas to the Cebuano chess community.
Aside from this open tournament, the club is also organizing a daily tournament exclusive for Cepca members. This is done to keep the members busy and entertained in the safety of their homes amid the quarantine due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
“It’s something that we look forward to every day,” Maratas said of their daily Cepca tourney. “As of now, we’ll focus on this daily event. We still have to discuss the plans for the qualifying and the grand finals. (RSC)