Arquero ties Sevillano in Shell chess

MANILA, Philippines - Fifth seed Kevin Arquero flashed top form and upended top seed Jan Nigel Galan and No. 2 Jerich Cajeras to gain a share of the lead with Rhenzi Kyle Sevillano after six rounds of the Shell National Youth Active Chess Championships grand finals at SM Megamall over the weekend.

Arquero, the City University of Pasay standout who placed second to La Salle’s Aglipay Oberio in the Northern Luzon elims, stunned Cajeras in the second round then shocked Galan in the sixth to join Sevillano on top with 4.5 points heading to the final three rounds of the nine-round Swiss system tournament sponsored by Pilipinas Shell.

He opened up with a win over Adelaide Joie Lim, bounced back from a third round setback to NCR leg winner Melwyn Kenneth Baltazar with a victory over Felix Shaun Balbona before halving the point with Vincent Balena in the fifth round of the event which coincides with the centennial anniversary of the energy and gas technology leader in the Philippines.

Pilipinas Shell Social Investment manager Jackie Ampil graced the opener of the two-day grand finals with IM Oliver Dimakiling, one of the top products of the annual event, and youngest finalist Mhage Gerriahlou Sebastian of Binsang Elem. School (Northern Luzon), made the ceremonial moves kicking off the nine-round championship, which featured the 36 top finishers of the four-month, six-stage nationwide elims.

Fourth seed and NCR leg champion Dale Bernardo of Holy Angel U swept his first four games, including a fourth round win over No. 2 Stephen Rome Pangilinan, drew with top seed Julius Gonzales of La Salle-Greenhills in the fifth then whipped Noel Geronimo of UE in the sixth to pool 5.5 points and post a one-point lead over Gonzales in the kiddies section.

Gonzales, upset by No. 10 Carl Sato in the opening round, fought back with four wins while splitting the point with Bernardo to remain in contention with 4.5 points while No. 7 Geronimo and No. 11 Romeo Canino toted four points piece.

Sato failed to sustain his big start and lost two games against two wins and a draw for 3.5 points for joint fifth with Pangilinan of Adamson, Adrian De Luna of Sta. Barbara and FEU’s Istraelito Rilloraza.

The third seeded Sevillano hurdled Gerard Acedo and Carlo Caranyagan in the first two rounds, drew with Balbona then dismantled Baltazar in the fourth to wrest solo control. But the Visayas leg champion from University of San Carlos bowed to Galan in the fifth before downing Vincent Balena to arrange a crucial seventh round duel with Arquero.

Galan, who also lost in the second round to Balbona, and Cajeras, who also fell to Galan in the third, remained in the hunt with four points in a tie with Balbona, who beat Oberio in the fifth and drew with Caranyagan in the sixth, while Oberio dropped to joint sixth with 3.5 points with Balena, Caranyagan and Acedo.

FEU’s Gladys Romero scored three points to lead the race in the girls’ side of the event where they are pitted against their boys’ counterparts. Julie Anne Opema of MOGCHS also had three points but the Northern Mindanao leg topnotcher bowed to Romero in the fourth round.