Belano, Rom top Cepca weekly chess tourney

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Young Cebuana chess sensation Kristina Belano and National Master (NM) Jasper Rom dominated their respective categories in last Sunday’s Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association (Cepca) Weekly Online Chess Tournament: Coleto Itaas Blitz Series.

Belano, 12, won her seventh weekly edition title this year after dominating the Cepcans B and Ladies category while NM Rom topped the All-Cepcans and Ladies division.

Belano, who last won the weekly title on August 8, scored 6.0 points to tie with Nicanor Cuizon. However, Belano managed to accumulate 25 tiebreak points over Cuizon’s 24. 

Thus, she earned the top place in the division that featured a seven-round Swiss system competition.

Filemon Kapuno III rounded off the top three in the Cepcans B and ladies category after scoring 5.0 points while Leo Lofranco claimed the fourth spot with 4.5 points and Eladio Lim III landed at fifth place with 4.0 points. 

Meanwhile, NM Rom, 49, an electronics engineer and member of the Philippine Paralympic chess squad finished his campaign in the All-Cepcans and Ladies category with a near perfect 10.0 points to top the competition.

The category featured an 11-round Swiss system game. Fellow NM Rogelio Enriquez Jr. placed second with 8.5 points followed by Michael Tinga at third with 7.5 points. 

Fourth place went to Rosendo Yamyamin while the fifth and sixth placers were Maria Kristina Lavandero, and Jimmy Ty Jr. They all scored 7.0 points apiece, but were ranked according to their total tiebreak points. 

Last Sunday’s weekly online chess tournament was sponsored by US-based Cepcan and Women’s National Master (WNM) Susan Itaas.

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