GM Darwin Laylo successfully defends his title; Loanzon, Liwagon, Poddar, Pangilinan share top honors
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 08 Oct 2018
GRANDMASTER Darwin Laylo successfully defends his title after winning the 2nd annual Chooks to Go National Rapid Chess Championships last Saturday, October 6, 2018 at the Activity Center Ayala Malls South Park in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
The San Roque, Marikina City bet Laylo put on a strong start and a stronger finish to run away with the Open crown with perfect 7 points to go home with the top prize of P20,000 plus the champonship trophy.
"I didn't look to defend my title, just to play my best," said, Laylo, a member of the multi-titled Philippine Army chess team. "I knew that this was a tough tournament with all the players. I just tried to play my best and now I am really happy," added Laylo, part of the coaching staff of the Ateneo de Manila University chess team.
Allan Cantonjos , playing under the baton of the Philippine Airforce Chess Team took solo second place with 6.5 points to receive P10,000 and a trophy.
Sharing third to sixth places were International Master Richelieu Salcedo III, Apollo Agapay, Jonathan Jota, National Master Alcon John Datu who got 6 points each.
In the Executive division, National Master lawyer Bob Jones Liwagon of Kidapawan City, rank of Captain and one of the top players of the multi-titled Philippine Army chess team under the baton of Army Judge Advocate (AJA) Colonel Maria Victoria Girao, split the point with Stephen Manzanero to scored 6 points and create a two-way tie for first place with engineer Arjoe Loanzon, who brought down Narquingel Reyes.
Loanzon took the title via superior tie break points against Liwagon, but the duo split the combined prize of 15,000 for their efforts.
Three players-Dr. Jenny Mayor, Manzanero and National Master Allan Sasot-finished with 5.5 points.
Category winners were National Master Judge Rosendo Bandal Jr. (most senior award) National Master Efren Bagamasbad (top senior crown) amd Drigo Teves (top unrated).
Srihaan Poddar and Stephen Rome Pangilinan, meantime won the kiddies and junior plum, respectively.
Poddar was unbeaten in seven games with perfect seven points while Pangilinan bested fellow six pointers Christopher Khalil Kising, Eric Labog Jr. and Justine Diego Mordido in the tie break points to win the crown.
Backed up by BAVI President and General Manager Ronald Mascari?as, the 2nd annual Chooks-to-Go National Chess Rapid Championship was organized by Rotary Club of Nuvali and was sanctioned by National Chess Federation of the Philippines in close cooperation with Laguna Chess Association headed by Dr. Alfredo "Fred" Paez and Philippine Executive Chess Association and supervised by the Chess Arbiter Union of the Philippines.
The event aimed to develop good thinkers through the understanding of chess strategies and tactics, improving the logical abilities and rational thinking and reasoning of the participants, and instilling a sense of self-confidence, self-worth and camaraderie.-Marlon Bernardino-
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Marlon Bernardino.
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