THE Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association (Cepca) Team A completed a come-from-behind victory to clinch the 2nd Boy “Chessmoso” Pestaño Memorial Team Chess Tournament last Sunday at the Barracks Chess Club in Robinsons Galleria Cebu.
After getting stuck at the second place along with six other teams after the fifth round, Cepca A, composed of Cebu’s veteran wood pushers in National Master (NM) Rogelio Enriquez Jr., NM Arnolito Cadiz, and lawyer Jong Melendez, went on to win the rest of the nine-round Swiss system competition to emerge victorious.
All in all, Cepca A won eight of the nine rounds, losing only in the second round to bag 16 points. Each round is worth two points.
Team KKK, AIM Coop, and erstwhile leader Toledo City settled for second to fourth places, respectively, after the tournament officials ranked them according to their accumulated quotient points as per tiebreak rules. All three teams finished with 14 points.
Team Cepca A went home with P25,000 purse and a trophy. On top of that, they have bragging rights of being the inaugural champions of the first team chess competition organized by Cepca. Last year’s tournament was an individual competition.
Team KKK is composed of Jethro Esplenada, Jefte Crebillo, and Robert John Padel. Team AIM Coop is manned by Jaime Frias, Wilhelm Joey Ardiente, and Leo Cortes, while Toledo City is made up of Bonn Rainauld Tibod, Christopher Tubalado, and Carlos Trocio.
Completing the top ten were Danao City Chess Club, Cepca B, San Fernando, Star Wars, RJK Team, and Team Best.