Tagaytay City rules 2011 Inter-Province Chess Team tilt, GM Wesley So unbeaten

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan - Tournament favorite Tagaytay City secured the 2011 Inter-Province Chess Team Championship title thanks to the cinderella-run of Grandmaster Wesley So after nine exciting rounds of the Swiss system tournament sanctioned by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP).

So, who holds the distinction as the youngest grandmaster the country has produced, outplayed Fide Master Paulo Bersamina (ELO 2098) of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA)-B to carry Tagaytay City to a 2.5-1.5 victory in the penultimate round of the tournament.

Three Tagaytay City woodpushers - Allan Cantonjos (ELO 2191), Ivan Gil Biag and Garry Garcia split the points with their counterparts from LWUA B - Jan Nigel Galan (ELO 2047), Jerad Docena (ELO 1941) and Vince Angelo Medina (ELO 1963).

In the eighth round, Tagaytay City outplayed Makati City team of National Master David Elorta, 3.5-0.5. With the crucial ninth round victory, Tagaytay City has 17 match points on eight wins and a draw, three points ahead of defending champion LWUA-A led by Grandmaster John Paul Gomez, who edged South Cotabato, 2.5-1.5.

Gomez and Ted Ian Montoyo swept their respective matches against National Master Cezar Mariano and Ferdinand Leysa to cap the victory of LWUA-A, the dethroned Inter-Province Chess Team champion.

LWUA-A had 14 match points on six wins, two draws and only one loss. Misamis Oriental and Bacolod-Negros Chess Team were tied for third and fourth places with six wins, a draw and two losses.

Grandmaster Mark Paragua of Misamis Oriental drew his match with National Master David Elorta of Makati City in the closing round. Jhonnel Balquin and Richilieu Salcedo saved the day for Misamis Oriental for a 2.5-1.5 victory.

DAR Quezon City led by National Master Emmanuel Senador ended in solo fifth place with 12 match points on six wins and two draws. DAR Quezon City outdueled Bacolod Negros Chess Team, 3-1, in the ninth round.

La Paz (Iloilo) Chess Center and Iloilo Club 64, Inc. tied for 6th and 7th places with identical 11 match points on five wins, a draw and three losses. In the last edition of the tournament, Peter I. Kimpo Aklan Chess Team vowed to La Paz (Iloilo) Chess Center, 3-1 while Gov. Bombit Adiong Lanao del Sur suffered 2.5-1.5 defeat against Iloilo Club 64, Inc.

LWUA-B, LWUA-C and Cabuyao (Laguna) settled for 8th to 10th places with 10 match points apiece. Eight teams - South Cotabato, Makati City, Peter I. Kimpo Aklan Chess Team, Antique, Gov. Bombit Adiong Lanao del Sur, Palawan, Dep Ed A and Passi City occupied the 11th to 18th places with nine match points.

Bulacan BYCF, Accenture Chess Enthusiasts Club A, Capiz and Team C Aklan were tied for 19th to 22nd places while local teams - Team B Aklan and ASU-CIT-Aklan finished in 23rd and 24th places overall.

The five-day tournament from April 1 to 5 was hosted by the provincial government of Aklan under the leadership of Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez held at the Gov. Corazon L. Cabagnot Tourism and Training Center in Barangay Old Buswang, this town.