by Marlon Bernardino
Pinagharian ni International Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia ng Manila ang katatapos na Grandmaster (GM) and Attorney (Atty) Rosendo Carreon Balinas Jr. and Mayor Maria Carla Lopez Pichay online chess tournament nitong Linggo, December 27, 2020.
Si Garcia na may lichess handle na IM Nyxnyxnyxnyxnyx ay tuampos ng 101 points sa 41 games para sa win rate 68 percent at performance rating 2679 para magkampeon sa event na nilahukan ng 725 players worldwide.
Ang P75,000 total prize fund event ay presented ng Lichess Battle Arena, hosted nina US based frontliner Dr. Joe Balinas at Engr. Antonio "Uncle Paps" Balinas, parehong founding Honorary Chairman ng organizing Bayanihan Chess Club na suportado ng GM Rosendo Balinas and family sa pakikipagtulungan nina NCFP Chairman/President Deputy Speaker Prospero "Butch" Arreza Pichay Jr. at Mr. Fernan Donguines ng Hybreed Apparel Collections.
Ang online tournament ay may time control two minutes at parahimahan ng panalo ang mga kalahok na may two hours of play.
Ang 25-year-old Garcia, program chess director ng Ateneo de Manila University chess team, ay nakapag likom ng panalo sa 29 games, drew 4, at lost eight games sa kanyang aggregate score tungo sa P10,000 top purse.
" Masayang-masaya po ako sa pagkapanalo ko sa tournament na ito, Grandmaster (GM) and Attorney (Atty) Rosendo Carreon Balinas Jr. and Mayor Maria Carla Lopez Pichay online chess tournament. Maraming salamat din sa GM Rosendo Balinas family na nag sponsor ng year-ender event." sabi ni Garcia, miyembro ng Philippine Team na naglaru sa 2018 Batumi, Georgia World Chess Olympiad.
Nakamit ni Non-Master Ellan Asuela ng Bacolod City ang second spot na may 94 points sa 39 games na may win rate 69 percent sa 26 wins na may performance rating 2773 tungo sa P7,000 second place prize. Nasa third place si International Master Daniel Quizon ng Dasmarinas City na may 87 points tungo sa P5,000.
Bida din si Fide Master Narquingden Reyes ng Rodriguez, Rizal na nasa fourth na may 80, kasunod ni fifth placer non-master Jan Clifford Labog ng Nueva Vizcaya at sixth player isa pang untitled player na si Chin Lim ng Quezon City na may tig 78 points.https://lichess.org/tournament/xNEsINFz
Nagpakitang gilas din sina Fide Master Roel Abelgas ng Dasmarinas City, Grandmaster Rogelio "Banjo" Barcenilla Jr. ng Arizona, USA, International Master elect Eric Labog Jr. ng Nueva Vizcaya at Fide Master Austin Jacob Literatus ng Davao City na seventh hanggang 10th placers na tig 77, 75, 75 at 73 points, ayon sa pagkakasunod
Samantala ay tumapos si GM Rogelio "Joey" Antonio Jr. ng Quezon City sa 19th place, si GM Darwin Laylo ng Dasmarinas City na nasa 62nd place habang si defending champion GM Mark Paragua ng New York, USA ay nasa 183th place.
Nitong Sabado, December 26, 2020 ay naghari din si Gio Ventura na grade 8 pupil ng DasmariƱas Integrated High School, under the guidance nina coach FM Roel Abelgas at Rep. Elpidio "Pidi" Barzaga Jr. ang nangibabaw naman sa kiddies category 13 under na may 81 points
Ang 13 years old Ventura ay nagbulsa ng top prize P5,000. Si Woman Candidate Master Franiel Angela Magpily ng Makati City ang second na may 75 points tungo sa P2,500 richer.
Umeksena din sina John David Makalintal ng Caloocan City, Michael Jan Stephen Inigo ng Dumaguete City, Joemel Narzabal ng Dipolog City at Cedric Kahlel Abris ng Lucena City na tumapos sa third, fourth, fifth at 6th na may 56, 51, 50, at 50 points, ayon sa pagkakasunod.
Ang 7th-10th spots sa P25,000 total prize tournament ay sina Jhay Mar Cruz ng San Marcelino, Arena Grandmaster Gian Karlo Arca ng Panabo City, Davao del Norte, Al-Basher "Basty" Buto ng Cainta, Rizal at James Catayas ng Davao City.-Marlon Bernardino-