Pason rules 1st USC-BED Active chessfest

CEBU, Philippines - Allan Pason scored another first in his budding career.

The 15-year-old chess prodigy bagged the first ever championship of the University of San Carlos-Basic Education Department (USC-BED) Active Chess Tournament yesterday at the USC-North Campus gym along General Maxilom Avenue, this city.

Pason, who shot into fame after topping last month's 1st Cebu Chess Festival that was the centerpiece of Cebu's attempt to break the Guinness record for the World's Largest Chess Tournament, finished the 7-round Swiss system competition with 6.5 points.

“I’m very happy that I won another inaugural title. It was a very tough competition. Hopefully I would be able to sustain my winning streak," said the sophomore student of Pajo National High School (PNHS) in Lapu-Lapu City.

Diego Abraham Claro, Shaira Mae Monsalud and Jeffu Dorog each tallied 6.0 points, but Claro took the second place honors by virtue of a superior tie-break output using the Bucholz system. Monsalud came in third followed by Dorog.

Aside from medals, Pason pocketed P3,000 for his feat, while Claro and Monsalud received P2,000 and P1,000.

Rhenzi Kyle Sevillano, Glexan Derotas and Ariel Joseph Abellana were at joint fifth to seventh place with 5.5 points apiece, while Airene Robillos, Jethro Ysmael Claro and Ryan Pacres rounded up the top 10 finishers.

Airene Robillos and Jasia Dorog got a special prize of P500 for emerging as the top female and youngest player, respectively.

The games were supervised by FIDE arbiter Felix Poloyapoy, Jr. assisted by NM Merben Roque and USC-NC sports coordinators Galimar Largo and Saturnino Mayormita. - THE FREEMAN