UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas reclaimed the UAAP men's chess title after 10 years at the end of the Season 84 chess tournaments on Wednesday evening at the FEU Engineering Building Auditorium in Sampaloc, Manila.
The Tiger Woodpushers clinched their eighth championship with 28 points, winning in the last round over De La Salle University, 2.5-1.5.
"Ako kasi I can say na talagang high caliber yung mga players natin," coach Ronald Dableo said of his team. "Malaking factor na yung mga players natin mga beterano na talaga yan mula high schoo, nag-e-MVP, nag-go-gold medalist. Tuluy-tuloy yun siyempre."
University of the Philippines ended in second with 26 points after a 3.5-0.5 win over Adamson University.
Meanwhile, Far Eastern University clobbered Ateneo de Manila University, also with 3.5-0.5, to complete the podium with 25 points.
FEU senior Jeth Romy Morado edged out UP rookie Jan Daryl Batula in the tiebreaker armageddon match to bag the Most Valuable Player award and the Board 1 gold. Batula, though, received the Rookie of the Year honors.
UP's Stephen Rome Pangilinan topped Board 2 with a 72.2-percent winning clip and 6.5 points, while FEU's John Jasper Laxaman won Board 3 with the same winning clip and also with 6.5 points.
La Salle took home the three other board golds with Cyril Telesforo on Board 4 with 8.5 points, Demi John Lemi on Board 5 with six points, and with Jester Sistoza on Board 6 also with six points.
The Green Woodpushers ended in fourth with 23.5 points, as Adamson and Ateneo completed the order of finish with 10 and 7.5 points, respectively. (Dennis Lachica, Sportsmanila Photojournalist)