FEU battles La Salle to draw, keeps UAAP Women’s Chess lead

Far Eastern University fought defending champion La Salle to a 2-2 split to cling on to the solo lead after six rounds of the UAAP Season 82 Women’s Chess Tournament at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion Sunday. The Lady Tams took the early edge after former national champion Shania Mae Mendoza agreed to a 36-move draw with fellow Olympiad vet Marie Antoinette San Diego of a Queen’s Pawn London System on board one and Rizalyn Jasmine Tejada flattened Franchell Eds Javier’s Pirc Defense in 45 moves on board four. But the Lady Archers came charging back with Ella Grace Moulic rallying his team with gritty escape win over Bea Mendoza in 50 moves of a Caro-Kann duel on board three and Samantha Glo Revita halving the point with Marife dela Torre in 71 moves of a quiet Slav formation on board four that sealed the come-from-behind standoff. After six rounds, FEU thus clamped their stranglehold of the lead with 18 points, or three points ahead of La Salle with 15. Ateneo engaged National University in a dogfight before ending up with an entertaining 2-2 draw as all four boards ended in victories. The Lady Eagles then watched the University of Santo Tomas Lady Woodpushers fall to the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons, 1.5-2.5, to zoom to second place with 14.5 points. UST slipped from No. 3 to No. 4 with 14 points. The only other game pitting Adamson and University of the East likewise wound up in a 2-2 result. UAAP Season 82 Men's Chess FEU blanks UP, keeps grip of UAAP Men’s Chess lead UAAP Season 82 Men's Chess - FEU - MORADO, JETH ROMY.jpg Far Eastern University white-washed University of the Philippines, 4-0, to keep its lofty perch after six rounds in the men’s division of the UAAP Season 82 Men's Chess tournament at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion Sunday. Reigning national juniors champion and World Juniors Championship-bound Jeth Romy Morado led the carnage with a win on top board while RK Sevillano, JM Jacutina and John Jasper Laxamana followed suit with triumphs on the lower in helping hike the reigning champions’ total to 18 points. The Morayta-based woodpushers are now four points atop the field that is headed by University of Santo Tomas, which turned back National University, 2.5-1.5, to stay at distant second with 14 points. Julius Gonzales and Melito Ocsan, Jr. had hurdled both their opponents on the top two boards before Brylle Genver Vinluan wrapped it all up with a draw with King Alexander Reyes on board four. Samson Lim III had a chance to make it a 3-1 win with a draw but he suffered a mental block out and forgot to claim the standoff via the “50-move captureless” rule and dropped a heartbreaking defeat instead to Jayson Danday on board three. “I scolded him (Lim) because he was should have not missed claim the draw because it happened with his teammate right beside him,” said UST coach International Master Ronald Dableo. For FEU coach Jayson Gonzales, a Grandmaster, it is not yet time to celebrate. “It’s too early, the first round is not even finished yet. We have to continue to work harder and stay more focused,” said Gonzales. In other results, Ateneo clawed bitter rival La Salle, 2.5-1.5, and Adamson overcame University of the East, 2.5-1.5. UAAP Season 82 High School Chess Runaway UE train slows down with draw, but stays on top UAAP Season 82 Boys Chess - UE - PARRO, FRANCIS.jpg University of the East’s runaway train got slowed down by a 2-2 standoff with National University but remained unperturbed on top after six rounds of the 82nd UAAP high school boys’ chess tournament at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion Sunday. Lee Roi Palma continued his giant-slaying ways on top board as he stunned ASEAN Youth campaigner Chester Neil Reyes in 55 moves using the Two Knights set up with black Francis Roi Parro delivered the other win—a 60-move result over Joseph Lawrence Rivera of a Budapest Gambit—on third board. It was another resounding win for Palma, who has destroyed everyone in his path including ASEAN Age Group champion FIDE Master Alekhine Nouri of defending champion Far Eastern University a few rounds back. But the Bullpups, third placers a season ago, denied the Junior Warriors their sixth straight win after Mark Gerald Reyes and Dennis Gutierrez, Jr. downed Noel Geronimo and John Kenneth Gelva on second and fourth boards, respectively, to escape with a draw. It didn’t, however, nudge the UE juggernaut a bit as it continued to lead the way with 18.5 points, a full five-point edge ahead of NU with 13.5 points. In other results, University of the East edged Adamson, 2.5-1.5, while a Nouri-paced FEU battled La Salle-Zobel to a 2-2 draw.