PACIANO Gulle’s team exploit and Jeriel Manlimbana’s brilliant finish.
This all summed up the main drama behind the 2nd Tablon Fiesta Open chess tournament concluded here recently at the mini-gym of Brgy. Tablon.
Aided by Johnnel Balquin’s “elementary blunder,” Gulle won his last-round assignment on board one to lead GB’s team’s (alongside Godofredo Tisocan, Abner Cantonjos and Althea Nicole Borres) surprising vault to the top.
With the win against Balquin’s CDO 1 Chess Team, GB’s pawnpushers earned a total of 12 match points in the seven-round Swiss system event for a solo first place that made them P20,000 richer.
“Blunder nabigay ang kanyang (Balquin’s) buong Knight. Sin’werte na rin dahil hiningi ko talaga kay Lord ang blessing during the procession of Black Nazarene a few days before the Tablon chess tourney,” said Gulle, who also played board one, when Maia Bakeshop ruled the chess team tournament in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental last December.
Churning out a credible 5 of 7 score, Gulle added he was forced to man the top-board in Tablon when fellow Balingasag resident Paul Jardin declined to see action at the last minute.
“Pero pang Class A nga board one na gyod iyang strength,” complimented Jokorn Maestrado, whose NESA team’s (Rodolfo Calonia, Rey Laput, Raphael John Calingin) win streak got stalled when Gulle defeated him in the penultimate sixth round.
Malaybalay’s spirited tandem of Manlimbana and Ramil Sayaboc both dished out a golden performance on boards 1 and 2 to power Forever Books (11 points) of team-playing manager Adelardo Pajente (brd 3) and board 4 Angelo Saluna to second place worth P10,000.
Virgo Chess Team of Rodney Opada, Fr. Vic Arellano, Adrien Chan and Mary Joy Tan edged out fellow 10-pointer Eureka Praxis (Abasolo, Emmanuel Crisologo, Charles Joseph Laya, Christine De Los Reyes), Iligan City’s Four Emperors (Victor Lluch, Julius Ablin, Archangel Dato, Marco Visto) and Marawi City’s Maritima B (Cosain Magarang, Ibrahim Alawi, Ahmad Morsalim, Mark Garcia) in the Bucholz tiebreak for the P7,000 third prize also with a trophy.
“But never mind the prize, just continue the game,” proudly said the youthful Manlimbana of his no-hold-barred non-negotiable conquest of CdeO’s so-called elite with his perfect 7 of 7 gem that prompted Fr. Vic Arellano, head of Explore Mis.Or Chess Cooperative, to say the word “amazing” in acknowledging the feat of Forever Books’ top gun.
Among Manlimbana’s casualties include National Master Levi Mercado,Bryan Jose, Silverio Abasolo, Ben Polao, Balquin and Gulle.
A last replacement of Davao Norte’s Henry Lopez, Manlimbana considered his games with Gulle and Balquin as the most crucial and memorable ones.
“Slight advantage si Gulle sa opening and early part of middlegame.
Nilabayay pud mi’g tactics ni Balquin until nibigay ra gyod siya sa endgame. Patay wala gyoy negotiation akong tanan nga dula against CdeO’s best,” the Bukidnon pride Manlimbana told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
Special awards:
Top High School: Aljie Cantonjos (MOGCHS)
Top College: Jason Nabatlao (X.U.)
Top Lady: Vanessa Magno (MOGCHS)
Top Senior: Ibrahim Alawi (MARITINA B)
Top Tablon : Fr. Vic Arellano (VIRGO)
Board medalists:
Board 1: Jeriel Manlimbana (Forever Books)
Board 2: Ramil Sayaboc (Forever Books)
Board 3: Patricio Daniot (Malaybalay City)
Board 4: Karl Honculada (Barangay 23)