2009 PHILWEB – HUMAN PLUS NATIONAL EXECUTIVES CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP MAYOR WINS 7TH GRAND PRIX TITLE

Dr. Jenny Tarrosa Mayor of Cajidiocan, Sibuyan Island, Romblon, won his seventh National Executives title in style, outdistancing 26 top-caliber masters and several other strong Executive non masters of the land in Group A of the 2009 PHILWEB – HUMAN PLUS NATIONAL EXECUTIVES CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP organized by the Philippine Association of Chess Executives (PACE) headed by president NM Quirino Sagario, a lawyer and chairman Ariel Inton, a Quezon City councilor.

Mayor scored 156 points in the final leg dominating second placer NM Allan Macala (100) of Davao City by a 56 point margin, his highest 7 seasons. In third place is Camarines Norte’s NM Allan Sasot (95), also a palm reader in Plaza Miranda, Quiapo, RCBC’s NM Randy Segarra (90) is in 4^th. Journalist NM Marlon Bernardino, also a US National Master (84) is tied with two-time Olympian NM Mirabeau Maga of Davao City (84). NM Ali Branzuela of the Philippine Army (83) is 7^th while Efren Bagamasbad of Talisay, Camarines Norte (82) is the last qualifier. In Group B, Joel Cocjin topped the race with 114 points, followed by Atty. Orbe (105), Richie Evangelista, a chemical engineer from Bolinao, Pangasinan (98), chess trainer Ricardo Jimenez (88), Philippine Army’s Primo Virtudazo (87), chess coach Ric dela Pena of Bacolod City, engineer Verth Alora of Anda, Pangasinan, and call center agent Emil Chua of Caloocan City, who catched the last ticket to the Finals.

Co-sponsored by Philweb and Human Plus Corporations, the 10th and last leg was held at the newly-opened ritzy and glittery Alphaland Southgate Mall in Makati City (near Magallanes MRT station), soon to be the meccca of Metro Manila chess events in 2010. Event coordinator is Atty. Cliburn Orbe, a Philweb executive from Iligan City. Previous venues of the event were at the John Lloyd KTV Bar & Restaurant in Paco, Manila   and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in QC.

Mayor, a former director of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) is a private dental practitioner based in Quiapo, Manila.  He is also a lay minister of the Quiapo Black Nazarene Church headed by Msgr. Clemente Ignacio and the school dentist of the Nazarene Catholic School (formerly Quiapo Parochial school) supervised by Msgr. Gerry Santos, the School Director.

Chess trainer Jerry Areque of Bacolod City won the last leg in Group A while chess entrepreneur Joel Cocjin of Iloilo City but now based in Pasig City, won the Group B pennant.  They both received P5,000 for their effort and 20 Grand Prix points.

The top 8 in each groiup will advance to the Grand Finalds on December 12 (Sat) 10 am at the same venue. First alternate in Group A is Philippine Air Force’s NM Ronald Llavanes of Naga City (65) while second alternate is NM Julius Sinangote of Leyte with 47 points.  In Group B, first alternate is Bulacan’s Richard dela Cruz (53) while Agrifino Camposano of Tigaon, Camarines Sur is the second alternate with 44 points. Marlon Bernardino

Here are the final Grand Prix standings of the event. Only the Top 8 advances to the Grand Finals while the No. 9 and 10 are the Top Reserves.

Group A                                                 Grand Prix points

1. Mayor, Jenny 156

2. Macala, Allan (NM)                                 100

3. Sasot, Allan (NM) 95

4. Segarra, Randy (NM) 90

5. Bernardino, Marlon Jr. (NM) 84

6. Maga, Mirabeau (NM) 84

7. Branzuela, Ali (NM) 83

8. Bagamasbad, Efren (NM) 82

9. Llavanes, Ronald (NM)                               65

10. Sinangote, Julius (NM)                            47

Group B                                                      Grand Prix  points

1. Cocjin, Joel 114

2. Orbe, Cliburn 105

3. Evangelista, Richie 98

4. Jimenez, Ricardo 88

5. Virtudazo, Primo 87

6. Pena dela, Ric 84

7. Alora, Verth 83

8. Chua, Emil 73

9. Cruz dela, Richard                                        53

10.Camposano, Agrifi                                       44