Literatus, Pineda pace chess final

MANILA, Philippines - Top seed Austin Jacob Literatus and No. 3 Judit Pineda posted identical four points to seize the lead in their respective junior divisions halfway through the 2012 Shell National Youth Active Chess Championships at the SM Megamall Event Center in Mandaluyong over the weekend.

Mindanao leg champion Kyle Rhenzi Sevillano and NCR winner Carlo Caranyagan forged a tie for the lead in the boys’ kiddies class with four points while Vic Glysen Derotas of Univ. of San Carlos-Cebu racked up 4.5 points for a one-point lead in the girls’ side of the event among the top finishers of the five-leg circuit sponsored by Pilipinas Shell for the 20th year.

Earlier, Jackie Ampil, Pilipinas Shell social investment manager and media relations manager Toby Nebrida and internal communications manager Ron Jabal and NCFP executive director Jayson Gonzales graced the opening of the two-day event capping a nationwide talent search that drew close to 2,000 students and out-of-school youths.

Literatus, the Mindanao leg winner from Doña Carmen National High, swept his first four matches over McDominique Lagula, Jefferson Mansanero, Ali Guya and Alfer Joseph Fernandez to dominate the 10-player round robin event in the boys’ juniors division.

But he lost to fifth seed Junmark Baldesimo of Cor Jesu College of Digos and missed building a big cushion heading to the last four rounds of the event among the top finishers of the five-leg circuit sponsored by Pilipinas Shell for the 20th year.