MULTI-TITLE Austin Jacob Literatus and Cristy Grace Ngo captured the boys and girls 18 and under titles, respectively, at the close of the Mayor Sara and Vice Mayor Rody Duterte Kadayawan Age-Group Chess Festival at the Gaisano Grand Citimall on Sunday.
Literatus, only 14 years old and playing out of Doña Carmen Denia National High School, garnered 4.5 points in five rounds to win the crown. Jon Christian Lesaca earned four points to win the runner-up honors and 3.5 scorer Gerald Acedo placed third.
University of Mindanao's Denzel John Amar ruled the boys 16-under with six points while Island Garden City of Samal's Mark Bryan Sumayan placed second with 5.5 points followed by Davao City National High School's Kalyph Dioquino and Antonio O. Floirendo National High School's Gari Sangalla and Crossing Bayabas National High School's Manuelito Belarma who scored five points each.
Jan Jay Literatus tallied seven points to top the boys 12-under over Emmanuel Galang and AOFNHS bet Chris Chad Bato, who settled for the next two spots.
Mark Isaac Bernadas, John Marvin Miciano and Kurt Placencia also shared the limelight in the two-day tournament presented by the city government of Davao through the Sports Development Division and sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) in Davao Region.
Bernadas of St. Peter College of Toril clinched the boys 12-under crown by beating fellow 5.5 scorers Andre Miguel Jorgio and Alberto Diolola, Jr. of General Santos City via the tiebreak, while six-pointer Miciano bested Doña Pilar Learning Center's Michael John Varquez (5.5 points) for the boys 10-under title.
Kurt Placencia dominated the boys eight-under with six points while Mark Anthony Belardo was second with 3.5 points and Reuben Ray Mirantes came third with 2.5 Ngo of CBNHS, meanwhile, stamped her class over Ella Grace Moulic and Geneses Palero.
JMC's Erma Liwanan made five points to cop the the girls 16-under title while Yury Oshima had 3.5 points for second and AOFNHS mainstay Venus Mabano and Anne Sybel shared the next two slots with similar three points.
Five-pointer Dhona Yngayo emerged girls 14-under champion while Cristy Buna placed second and Venz Hayag ended up third.
JMC's Joerlz Gimony nailed down the girls 12-under crown while Lorraine Yngayo of Toril annexed the girls 10-under title.