Quezon City, PNP teams remain at helm

MANILA, Philippines - Quezon City and PNP-NHQ-QC scored victories in emphatic fashions to remain on top of the heap in the eighth and penultimate round of the National Inter-Cities chess team championship at the Metro Town Mall in Tarlac City Wednesday.

Quezon City trounced Local Water Utilities Administration-QC-B, 3-1, while PNP-NHQ-QC subdued erstwhile co-leader Valenzuela City, 2.5-1.5, to stay on top with 13 points under the matchpoint style scoring system used by the organizing National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP).

GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. outduelled Alcon John Datu, Gary Legaspi defeated Mari Joseph Turqueza and Ilann Perez bested Jan Nigel Galan to lead Quezon City to victory.

Richelieu Salcedo averted a shutout for LWUA-QC-B when he toppled Jerry Areque on board two.

PNP-NHQ-QC leaned on victories by Rolando Andador over GM Mark Paragua and Ali Branzuela over Ivan Gil Biag and a draw by Horizon Villanueva with Vic Neil Villanueva.

Silverio Abasolo beat Edsel Montoya for Valenzuela’s lone point.

Earlier, Quezon City and PNP-NHQ-QC battled to a 2-2 draw in the seventh round with Antonio and Perez winning their matches for QC and Branzuela and Villanueva scoring for PNP-NHQ-QC.

Antonio trounced Andador and Perez downed Montoya for Quezon City’s two victories.

Branzuela humbled Areque and Villanueva nipped Gary Legaspi to level the score for PNP-NHQ-QC.

Mandlauyong City, led by GM Bong Villamayor and Jan Emmanuel Garcia, outplayed Pasig-Marfori, 2.5-1.5, to join LWUA-QC-B in third to fourth places with 12 points.

LWU-QC-B earlier shocked Valenuela City, 2.5-1.5, in the seventh round.

Top seed Tagaytay City drew with Muntinlupa, 2-2, in the seventh round and won over LWUA-QC-A, 2.5-1.5, for fifth with 11 points.

Five teams, led by Valenzuela and FEU-FERN-QC-Inton, share sixth to 10th places with 10 points.

FEU-FERN-QC-Inton humbled Antipolo City, 2.5-1.5, in the eighth round behind the victory of Sheider Nebato over Jude Ulanday.

In the individual standings, Antonio and IM Richard Bitoon of Makati share the lead in board one with seven points. Antonio has six wins and two draws while Bitoon has seven wins and one loss.