NATIONAL Master Rustum Tolentino quickly rebounded from a painstaking debacle by winning the last elimination phase of the Kings and Pawns Rapid Chess Tournament concluded here over the weekend at the Lifestyle Distict’s Budgetel Hotel along Corrales extension.
Tolentino, who got ambushed by ageless Mario Arroyo and Class B standout Joseph Opada in the penultimate part of the rapid tourney’s elimination games, played through undefeated in five rounds to join the Lifestyle District’s Battle of Champions set later this month.
“Tolentino was so upset by his crushing defeat two weeks ago and I felt it through his FB postings. He seemed hopeless maayo na lang kay naka-recover,” one Capitol Chess Club habitué said of Tolentino, who’s now in General Santos City participating in the cash-rich 2nd Manny Pacquiao Random Chess Tournament.
Army man Benjamin Guimong, registered nurse Charles Joseph Laya and rela driver Elias Balase, meanwhile, pulled off surprises against Class A rivals to share second to fourth places with identical results of 4 points.
Guimong repulsed Abdul Halil Abdullah, the conqueror of NM Levi Mervado; Laya shocked Lifestyle District’s inaugural champion Nazario Ubanan and Balase handed Ubanan’s second-straight stunning defeat to also qualify in the Battle of Champions along with Malaybalay City’s Jeriel Manlimbana and Eutemio Coquilla, Silverio Abasolo, Bebot Arroyo and Esmar Estrella of Cagayan de Oro.
In Youth category, the Canino siblings Ronald and Rhea Jean capitalized on the absence of their equally-strong kiddy contemporaries to make a rare 1-2 finish.
Ronald Canino yielded just a draw in five rounds to win the kiddies championship. While Rhea Jean Canino edged fellow 4-pointers Euniel Grant Capilitan and Reo Sagrado in the Bucholz tiebreak to claim the second prize.
Rounding up the Open division’s top-10 winners are Bobby Salomon, Abdullah, Berthenson Balase, Arbie Jims Calido, Ubanan and Paul Omongos.
Completing the top-10 kiddies are Joseph dela Rama, Ruelle Canino, Chargaets Andres, Denver Amba, Jan Mark Torres and Jerggy Pelaez.