Bersamina tops 12-U in Asean chess

SUBIC , Philippines  – Reigning national junior champion Paulo Bersamina topped the boys 12 years-and-under category, Jerad Docena triumphed in the boys 14-under and Prince Mark Aquino ruled the boys 16-under on a Philippine day of triumphs in the 11th ASEAN + age-group rapid chess championships at the Traveler’s Hotel here Friday.

Another fast-rising Filipina campaigner, Marie Antoinette San Diego, also made her presence felt by ruling the girls 12-under division

But the four Filipinos’ splendid showings were not enough to overhaul archrival Vietnam, which edged the Philippines for the boys division title by winning more silver medals.

Vietnam finished with 3-4-0 gold-silver-bronze medal tally against the Philippines’ 3-2-3 record in the boys division.

In the girls division, Vietnam took five of the six gold medals at stake, with only San Diego averting an all-Vietnam party by ruling the girls 12- under bracket.

Overall, Vietnam captured the overall championship with eight golds, eight silvers and three bronzes in the boys and girls divisions.

The Philippines was a distant second with 4-2-5, followed by Indonesia with 0-2-1 and Singapore with 0-0-3.

Three other countries – Malaysia, Thailand and Iran – failed to land a medal.

Bersamina, who also bagged the gold medal in the boys 12-under standard chess competition last Thursday, demolished Pham Anh Trung of Vietnam in the seventh and final round to clinch the title with a seven-round total of 6.5 points on six wins and one draw.

Tran Minh Hoang of Vietnam finished second with six points, while another Filipino, Fernando Mendoza, wound up third with five points.

Hoang subdued Romulo Curioso, while Mendoza bested Derek Lim of Singapore in the final round.

Docena, seeded only fifth, swept his last three assignments against compatriot John Ray Batucan and Vietnamese players Le Huu Thai and Le Thanh Tai to capture the title with six points.

Docena, younger brother of former Asian Games campaigner Jedara Docena, finished half a point ahead of Le and Vince Angelo Medina.

The Filipinos struck hardest in the boys’ 16 years old and under category, sweeping the top five places with Aquino taking top honors with 5.5 points.

Joining Aquino in the podium finish were compatriots Dominique Lagula (5.5), Jan Nigel Galan (5), Alfonso Baldomero Ramos (5) and Kristian Paulo Cristobal (4.5).

In the girls 12 under, San Diego chalked up four wins and three draws to finish in a two-way tie for the top spot with Anastasia Patricks of Indonesia with 5.5 points. ,San Diego, however, clinched the title by virtue of a higher tiebreak score.

2009 Las Vegas age-group champion Stephen Rome Pangilinan clinched the silver medal in the boys 8-under division.