Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates extends winning streak to four after thrashing Camarines and Toledo in PCAP 3rd Conference

DAVAO CITY---The struggling Mindanaoan team Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates has extended its winning streak to four games in the second round of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) 3rd Conference after they beat Southern Division teams Camarines and Toledo on November 11.

The Checkmates lead by Davao's National Master Jonathan Tan and Cagayan de Oro's Lennon Hart Salgados beat Camarines 15-6 and Toledo 11-10.

The win improved the record of the Checkmates to 7-14 for ninth place in the Southern Division.

The win is also a morale boost for the team since it gave them a possible chance to enter the quarterfinal round.

Last November 3, the team upset the Southern division frontrunner Philippine Paralympic 2-1 in Armageddon tiebreaker.

"Lennon Hart and NM Tan's roles in crucial matches were not that easy as they managed to upset FM Severino who is a world chess champion himself," Checkmates owner Arena Grandmaster Rey Urbiztondo said.

"It's gonna be a tall order for us to either duplicate or surpass our quarterfinals stint last conference 'coz we need at least 5 wins in our remaining nine-game assignments to stay in contention. Ubos taas atong mga pag-ampo ini," Urbiztondo added.(Romeo Braceros Jr.)

Another 4th place finish for Davaoeno NM Jonathan Tan in IPCA Online Chess Tournament

 

DAVAO CITY---A veteran chesser based here continues to make waves on online chess tournaments as he had another decent finish in the tough Iloilio Professional Chess Association (IPCA) Online Chess Tournament last October 18.

National Master Jonathan Tan finished in fourth place in the tournament participated in by some of the top chessers in the Philippines including grandmasters Joey Antonio and Darwin Laylo.

Tan won P1,000 as a prize in the tournament won by Ellan Asuela who won P5,000.

Last October 16, Tan also finished in fourth place in the tough Dr. Marlonsky Birthday Tournament Online Open Division.

Tan, a veteran of many local, national, and international chess tournaments won P300 as a prize.

Paragua won the tournament and the top prize of P2,000.

Panaboan Jayson Salubre took fifth place and 200 in the tournament.

Tan also made headlines last July 15 after landing in fifth place in the Asian Seniors Online Chess Championship.

Tan scored 5 points to land in fifth place in the tournament participated in by some of the top chessers in Asia.

Tan beat some of the top chessers in Asia in the tournament.

The tournament was won by International Master Ricardo Ricky de Guzman who scored 6 points.

The Philippines dominated the tournament as they occupy the top-five finishes in the chessfest.

Among the top chessers who joined the competition are  GMs Niaz Murshed of Bangladesh, Saidali Iuldachev, Tahir Vahidov, and Alexei Barsov of Uzbekistan and IM Jamsed Isaev of Tajikistan.

The online chess tournament featured two categories in 50-and-above and 65-and-above and begins with a seven-round Zonal qualifier with the best performers advancing to the nine-round Finals, all using the Swiss System format on July 21.

The Philippines is bracketed in Zone 3.3 that includes countries like Brunei, Cambodia, Chinese Taipei, East Timor, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Laos, Macau, Mongolia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The competition offers a total of $3,000 will be up for grabs including $500, $350, and $300 to the champion of the 50-and-above and 65-and-above and the best woman player. (Romeo Braceros Jr.)