Salcedo, Castro top Shell Naga chess

MANILA, Philippines - Richelieu Salcedo III escaped with two draws and a win in the last three rounds then edged Lennon Salgados in the tiebreak to capture the junior division title in the Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship Southern Luzon Leg at SM City Naga’s Event Center in Naga City last Sunday.

Ninth ranked Jose Carlo Castro, on the other hand, stunned top seed Gino Cabual in the eighth round then held No. 3 Carl Perez to a draw in the final round to emerge the solo champion with 8.5 points in the kiddies side of the event which served as the fourth leg of the eight-stage nationwide circuit sponsored by Pilipinas Shell.

Salcedo, the third seeded bet from Rizal Technological Univ., halved the point with Salgados in the sixth round, downed Daniel Collantes in the seventh then wisely went for another draw with Daniel Pesimo in the final round to clinch the crown in the 20-and-under category with a seven-point total.

Salgados also wound up with seven points but settled for runner-up finish and joined Salcedo and third placer Kritz Albelar in the grand finals of the annual event long considered as the spawning ground of chess talents in the country.

Other awardees were top female players Marie Antoinette San Diego (7.5 points-kiddies) and Grace Anne Faith Cain (5 points-juniors), three-year-old Daniel Zamora (youngest player), Peverline Cardama (top 8-year-old), Ma. Athena Legaspi (sportsmanship) and Carolina Elem. School and Ateneo de Naga (most represented schools).

Gracing the awards rites were Ronald Suarez, Pilipinas Shell sustainable development manager, Naga City councilor Babeth Lavadia, Sankie Simbulan, Shell business and corporate communications manager, and Bernie Marco,

Shell Pasacao terminal supervisor.

The top ranked Albelar bounced back with victories over Shiena Galicia, Jeremiah Alfonso and Antonio Chavez Jr. to finish with 6.5 points then nipped James Dacanay and Pesimo in the tiebrak to snatch the third and last berth in the national finals set in October at SM Megamall.

Castro, meanwhile, trounced Virginie Ruaya in the sixth round then upended No. 5 Mary San Diego and Cabual in the next tow before halving the point with Perez to bag the 14-and-under plum in the tournament sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Phils.

Two unfancied bets also made it to the grand finals with No. 304 Dave Mar Prado of First Asia Institute of Tech and No. 243 Jhoemar Mendiogarin of Banlic Elem. School scoring eight points and beating two others in the tiebreak for the second and third places, respectively.

Prado upset San Diego, defeated Venus Cordero and Jaypee Corteza before stunning eighth seed John Margarito while Mendiogarin upset fourth seed Romy Morado, Aldus Austria, Dyan Cambe and Alji Cantonjos.

Perez and Dante Verano also finished with eight points but lost in the tiebreak and missed making it to the national finals of the event backed by Shell V-Power, Shellane, Shell Helix and McDonald’s and held in partnership with SM Supermalls, Cagayan Colleges Tuguegarao, Central Philippine University Iloilo, University of San Carlos-Cebu and Cagayan de Oro City Tourism.