Tagaytay City overpowers Dep Ed A and Cabuyao (Laguna), boosts title bid

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Kaibahang Lyneth Mendoza of RGMA DyRU Super Radyo Kalibo interviews Grandmaster Wesley So (left), the world's No. 4 junior and the highest rated Philippine chess player / PHOTO BY BOY RYAN ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan – Tagaytay City scored back-to-back victories with two rounds remaining to lead the 2011 Inter-Province Chess Team Championship held at the Gov. Corazon L. Cabagnot Tourism and Training Center yesterday.

Inspired by a sixth-round win over Dep Ed A, Grandmaster Wesley So led the attack of frontrunning Tagaytay City against second seed Cabuyao (Laguna), 3-1. The 17-year old Filipino champion defeated Fide Master Roderick Nava in board one. Allan Cantonjos (ELO 2191) pulled off a fine win against highly rated Rodolfo Panopio Jr. (ELO 2218) in board two while unrated players Ivan Gil Biag and Garry Garcia drew wih Roel Abelgas (ELO 2170) and Gary Legaspi (ELO 2068) of Cabuyao (Laguna).

So earlier humbled Fide Master Jony Habla and Cantonjos stunned Rainier Labay of Dep Ed A in the sixth-round battle. Ivan Gil Biag and Garry Garcia of Tagaytay City halved the points with Ramil Acosta and Ernesto Savo for a 3-1 rout.

Tagaytay City faces sixth seed Makati City led by National Master David Elorta in the eighth round on Tuesday morning.

Top seed Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA)-A also demolished Iloilo Club 64, Inc. 3-1 in the sixth round and LWUA B, 2.5-1.5 in the next round. Grandmaster John Paul Gomez defeated National Master Rodrigo Atutubo, rated Mari Joseph Turqueza and Jason Salubre of LWUA A thrashed their rivals - Rosendo Reyes and Ronald Ganzon.

Rommel Ganzon upset highly favored Ted Ian Montoyo of LWUA-A (ELO 2297) in board two for the lone point of Iloilo Club 64, Inc.

In the battle of sister teams, LWUA-A downed LWUA-B in the seventh round, 2-5-1-1.5. Gomez trounced Fide Master Paulo Bersamina and Salubre beat Jerad Docena of LWUA-B. Jan Nigel Galan downed Montoyo while Vince Angelo Medina (ELO 1963) split the point with Turqueza of LWUA-A.

In other matches, eight-ranked Bacolod-Negros Chess Team stunned second seed Misamis Oriental, 3.5-0.5 in the sixth round. Grandmaster Mark Paragua (ELO 2547) was held to a draw by Fide Master Sander Severino.

Three players of Misamis Oriental - Jhonnel Balquin, Christian Arroyo and Richilieu Salcedo suffered defeats in the hands of Joel Pimentel, Ellan Asuela and Jerich Cajeras, but came back to swept Passi City, 4-0, in the seventh round.

Misamis Oriental and LWUA-A battle in the crucial eighth round of the 28-team nine-round Swiss system event hosted by the provincial government of Aklan.

DAR Quezon City dropped a 3.5-0.5 loss to Gov. Bombit Adiong Lanao del Sur in the sixth round, but edged LWUA-C, 2.5-1.5 in the seventh.

Makati City, led by National Master David Elorta crushed Team C Aklan, 3.5-0.5 and Iloilo Club 64, Inc. 3.5-0.5. Antique, bannered by National Master Rhobel Legaspi beat Team F Aklan, 3.5-0.5 and Accenture Chess Enthusiasts Club B, 4-0.

Peter I. Kimpo Aklan Chess Team blanked Team C Aklan, 4-0 in the seventh round to redeem itself of LWUA-B's 2.5-1.5 victory in the sixth.