MAKATI WOODPUSHERS RULES 1ST NCFP National Inter-Chess Club Rapid Team Championship

(Match point format/ seven round Swiss-system/ 35 teams: a win= 2 points; a draw = 1 point and lost=zero)

(Final Standings)

Champion: Makati Chess Club Team “B” 13.0 match points

2^nd place: g4 chess club Team “A” 11.0 match points

3^rd to 7^th placers: Luneta Chess Club, Mandaluyong City, Makati Chess Club Team “C”, Quezon City Memorial Circle and Laguna Chess Association (LCA)-Calamba 10.0 points each

(Individual gold medalist)

Board 1 GM Darwin Laylo (Tagaytay); Board 2 Ivan Gil Biag (Quezon Memorial Circle); Board 3 Melvin Salutan (Valenzuela); Board 4Vic Neil Villanueva (St. Louis Chess Club) and Board 5 Ronald Ganzon (Boracay Chess Club)

MANILA, PHILIPPINES—THE Makati Chess Club Team “B” turned back Pasig Chess Club (3-1) in the seventh and final round to capture the 1^st National Inter- Chess Club Rapid Team Championship title on Sunday at the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) Bldg, Katipunan Rd., Balara, in Quezon City.

Makati Chess Club Team “B” is composed of Fide Master David Elorta, Merben Roque, Richelliu Salcedo and Sherwin Tiu garnered a total of 13 match points to receive the top prize of P40,000 plus trophy in the two-day (Saturday and Sunday) event, hosted and supported by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) headed by its president/ chairman Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr., and secretary-general Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino Jr.

Elorta and Roque carry the good fight for the Makati Chess Club Team “B” by beating NM Ali Branzuela and Dandel Fernandez on board 1 and 2 while Salcedo and Tiu settled for a truce with Dennis San Juan and Stephen Manzanero on board 3 and 4.

g4 chess club Team “A” which bankrolled by NCFP director lawyer and NM Edmundo Legaspi and China-based Joel Pineda, meantime edged LWUA Team “A” (2.5-1.5) earned 11.0 points to bring home P20,000 runner-up purse plus trophy.

The Luneta Chess Club, Mandaluyong City, Makati Chess Club Team “C”, Quezon City Memorial Circle and Laguna Chess Association (LCA)-Calamba, which scored identical 10.0 points each, occupied 3 ^rd to 7^th placers to receive P7,400 each. The Luneta Chess Club backed up by sportsman Boy Pobre took the third place trophy with a superior tie break.

Adjudged Individual gold medalist are Board 1 GM Darwin Laylo (Tagaytay); Board 2 Ivan Gil Biag (Quezon Memorial Circle); Board 3 Melvin Salutan (Valenzuela); Board 4Vic Neil Villanueva (St. Louis Chess Club) and Board 5 Ronald Ganzon (Boracay Chess Club).

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ESTRELLA DOMINATES 23^RD EDITION OF THE 1^ST SATURDAY MAGNOLIA CHESSFEST

MANILA, PHILIPPINES—JOURNEYMAN Eduardo Estrella of Singalong-Manila defeated Jerad Docena after 40 moves of Queen Pawns Game in the seventh and final round to dominates the just-ended 23 ^rd edition of the 1^st Saturday Non-Master Magnolia Chessfest on Saturday at the Perez Building in Paranaque City.

He garnered a perfect 7/7 points   to   clinch the solo prize of P 3,000 with the elegant trophy while the 2^nd and 3^rd placers went to former champion Joseph Esguerra and Robert Cacho, respectively. They shared equally the P 3,000 prize with trophies.

In the top categories; winners are Top Senior Major (Ret) Romeo Mateo (NAPCA Member), Top Lady WFM Cherry-Ann Mejia and Top Kiddy Jerad Docena. They receive P 500 each with trophies.  After the awarding, the resumption celebrated by the activity of NAPCA’s 3^rd Anniversary and Christmas party.