Roque rules CEPCA 23rd Anniversary Chess Open

CEBU, Philippines - NM Merben Roque fumbled in his final round assignment against Eden Diano, but still had the last laugh for claiming the championship of  Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association's 23rd Anniversary Chess Open last night at The Event Centre of SM City-Cebu.

Playing on White pieces, Roque was on the attack mode from the start, but committed a costly blunder along the way that saw both his Queen and Rook under threat by Diano's Knight. Diano then capitalized on that advantage to deal Roque his first and only defeat in the 9-round Swiss system competition bankrolled by CEPCA in partnership with longtime Cebuano chess patron Boojie Lim of Rose Pharmacy, Inc.

Roque, a former Shell Youth Active Chess national champion, actually finished the two-day tilt with 8.0 points in a tie with the youthful, but very sharp Rhenzi Kyle Sevillano, but Roque went on to claim the P7,000 champion's purse by virtue of a superior tie-break output.

The 14-year-old Sevillano ended his campaign utilizing his endgame dexterity to frustrate Rogelio Enriquez, Jr. Aside from pocketing P5,000, Sevillano got an additional P500 for emerging as the top player in the kiddies 11-15 age bracket followed by John Francis Balbona and Vicmil Pepito, who both finished with 6.0 points.

Diano received P3,000 for landing at solo third place with 7.5 points, while Richard Natividad and Bryll John Arellano got P2,000 and 1,000 for placing fourth and fifth, respectively, with 7.0 points.

Edsel Montoya, Ramil Wadim and NM Leonardo Alidani occupied the sixth to eight spots also with 7.0 points, while Enriquez, Joel Pacuribot, Glicerio Pardillo, Jr., Yves Christian Fiel, Erwin Ababat, Felix Shaun Balbona, and Bonn Rainuld Tibod rounded up the top 15 list with 6.5 points.

The 51-year-old Alidani received an additional P700 for being the top performer in the seniors division followed by Ababat and former non- smoker champion Carlos Moreno III.

Christian Yves Fiel was the best among the rest in the juniors division with 6.5 points followed by Felix Shaun Balbona and Alan Pason, while the top three female entries were Laila Camel Nadera with 6.0 points and Airene Robillos and Queeni Marie Cablao with 5.5 points.

On hand to award the P34,000 total cash prize to the winners were current CEPCA president Jojo Muralla, incoming club president Engr. Jemar Maratas, CEPCA founder Boy Pestaño and tournament director Jun Olis.

A total of 156 pawnpushers took part in the event that was also made possible through the support of Jemar Engineering Services, Lite Shipping, Atty. Jennoh Tequillo, Andrew Aznar, Kelly Uy, Model Rent A Car, and a host of charitable Cepcans. The games were supervised by chief arbiter FA Felix C. Poloyapoy, Jr. assisted by FA Marvin Y. Ruelan and CA Edwino Parilla III.  (FREEMAN)