Natividad tops Cebu Chess Infinitum Tournament
Woodpushers compete in the Cebu Chess Infinitum Tournament 2022 at the Ayala Center Cebu on July 16, 2022. | Contributed Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Notable Cebuano wood pusher Richard Natividad displayed the other side of his chess prowess when he dominated the one-of-a-kind Cebu Chess Infinitum Tournament 2022, last Saturday, July 16, 2022 at the Ayala Center Cebu.
The tournament featured the unique chess variant called the Infinitum Chess, which was discovered in 1998, but only made its way into mainstream chess recently.
Natividad, who is also one of the trusted woodpushers of the Toledo City Trojans in the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP), finished his campaign with 7.5 points to emerge as the champion and pocket the P10,000 purse.
Michael Joseph Pagaran settled for second place with 7.0 points and earned P7,000, while Redentor Nailon rounded off the top three with 6.5 points and received P5,000 cash prize.
The fourth to 10th placers were Joel Pacuribot (6.5), Joel Pimentel Jr. (6.5), Dennis Navales (6.0), Venancio Loyola Jr. (6.0), National Master (NM) Merben Roque (6.0), and Maria Kristine Lavandero (6.0), respectively. They were ranked according to their tie break points despite having the same scores.
Lavandero was named the top female woodpusher of the tournament for her 10th place finish among 119 players who competed in the tournament.
Luke Symon Lozada was the top 16-under player, while, International Master (IM) Rico Mascarinas was the top senior player, Loisse Antonette Lozada was named the top 12-under performer, and Danica Jolly Lavandero the top 10-under player.
They, too, received cash prizes from the organizers
The tournament is different from a conventional chess match. It It utilizes a semi-10×10 board with standard chess pieces. However, this chess variant is unique because it only has six pawns on each side while it has a special piece called the wizard.
The mechanics are similar to a conventional blitz style competition.
It was first introduced by Cebuano chess patron Boojie Lim by organizing the same tournament in 2013 at the Colonnade Mall in downtown Cebu City.
/bmjo
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