CAGAYAN de Oro-Misamis Oriental chess team shrugged off a slow start with steady composure in the final leg to rout Davao All-Stars, 398-354, in their 6th Goodwill Match and first online that ended on Sunday, June 28, 2020, via lichess.org site.
Fielding 10 regular boards and 10 executives for each team, CdeO-MisOr got precious gems from their executives as the team’s scoring machine since day one of the two-day straight battle.
The regular boards faltered to Davao’s elite, 89-101, in the opener but their executives saved the day by finishing a 103-87 win to give CdeO-MisOr a narrow 4-point lead at the close of the first leg on Saturday, June 27, which was played all through chess 960 or Fischer random blitz.
The Dabawenyos could not find an answer the following day in the standard blitz match, losing both in the regular and executive boards.
CdeO-MisOr’s executives continued the rampage with a 111-77 demolition, while the regular boards rebounded by pulling off a close 95-89 triumph on Sunday's final leg.
National Master Levi Mercado played consistently for CdeO’s executives along with sportswriter Jaime Joshua Frias II, Oro's most successful chess campaigner abroad in recent time.
Completing the cast for the mighty CdeO-MisOr executives were Ralph Dalauta, Jayson Nabatlao, Bryan Jose, Abdul Halil Abdullah, Paul Omongos, Fr. Vic Arellano, businessman Cleto Vasquez and Engineer/ teacher Jun Gunayan.
The regular boards were made up of International Master Richelleu Salcedo III, Lennon Hart Salgados, Johnnel Balquin, Christian Arroyo, Antonio Chavez Jr., Alfredo Rapanot, Nazario Ubanan, bothers Romeo and Ronald Canino and Randolph Dalauta.
Comprising the Davao All-Stars were Dubai-based IM Oliver Dimakiling, their top scorer with 19 points, Fide master Austin Jacob Literatus, NMs Alex Lupian and Henry Lopez, John Ray Batucan, Mohammad Sacar, Carl Zirex Sato, Junmark Baldesimo, Jayson Salubre, Aglipay Oberio, Asian Juniors champion NM Jonathan Tan, Engr. Allan Diez, Fide Trainer and International Arbiter James Infiesto, lawyers Jong Guevarra and Melzar Galicia, Rey Urbiztondo, Homer Rotulo, Christopher Yap, Lyndon Sombilon and Rhynan Arce.
The online match is not counted in the lifetime matches as the previous goodwill games were done over the boards. This was cleared during the opening ceremonies through live video chat via Zoom.
The lifetime score between the two regions remains at 2.5-all. (With JJF reports)