Allan Pason (left) and Christian Kurt Pondoyo trade moves in their seniors’ category match of the 24th Shell National Youth Active Chess Championships-Visayas Leg at SM Foodcourt. (Story on p. 28.) (CDN PHOTO/Lito Tecson)
CEBUANO Jethro Esplanada finally took home the title in the seniors’ division of the 24th Shell National Youth Active Chess Championships-Visayas Leg yesterday at the SM City Cebu Event Center.
Esplanada from the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) finished with 8.0 points to rule the 17-20 years old division. Fellow Josenian Allan Pason also had 8.0 points but Esplanada had a bigger tie-break score (46.50-45) to emerge victorious. Pason settled for second.
Adrian dela Cruz of Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental settled for third place with 7.0 points. Another Josenian, Felix Shaun Balbona finished fourth while University of San Carlos’ (USC) Vincent Balena placed fifth.
Esplanada lost to dela Cruz of Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental by a slim margin last year.
Defending champ ousted
Meanwhile, Chris Aldritz Pondoyo of the University of Cebu (UC) dominated the juniors’ division (13-16 years old), ousting last year’s champion Philgymn Villajuan of Ormoc City. Lapu-Lapu City’s chess boy wonder Jerish John Velarde emerged as the best player in the kiddies’ division (7-12 years old).
With the victories, Esplanada, Pondoyo and Velarde will represent the Visayas in the national finals slated Oct. 1-2 at the SM Mega Mall.