San Sebastian vs Letran for NCAA Chess last final berth

ONE thing's crowding the minds of San Sebastian College-Recoletos head coach National Master (NM) Homer Cunanan and Colegio San Juan de Letran mentor NM Roland Joseph Perez.

Both coaches are eyeing their team for the last final berth when the Stags and Knights pawnpushers collide each other one more time, a do or die match at 1 pm when the 85th season National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Chess Team Championships Senior division resumes on Thursday at the ground floor Cyberzone area in SM City, Manila.

San Sebastian College-Recoletos turned back Colegio San Juan de Letran, 3-1, last Tuesday in their cross-over semi final round to force a play off match today after the latter’s (Letran) enjoying the “twice to beat advantage.”

“This is still far from over,” said NM Cunanan, who will relying again the service of dynamic duo of Louie Salvador and Jay-R Sumagang, who carried the fight for Stags on Tuesday by beating Letran’s Randolph Pascua and Nino Datu on Board 2 and 4, respectively.

SSC-R’s top gunner Jayson Mercado and board 4 player John Albert Bongon, on the other hand drew their match against Letran’s Chester Guerero and Benjamin Lising, in order.

“I’m proud of my boys, at least nakahirit pa kami ng isa pang game at nasa amin pa ang momentum,” added Cunanan, who honed the skills of former Stags 1-2 punch GM Darwin Laylo and GM-elect Ronald Dableo.

Defending NCAA Senior champion College of St. Benilde -De La Salle edged Mapua Institute of Technology, 2.5-1.5, to earn the first final berth.

“Malaking factor y’ung nakapag-pahinga kami, we hope mahawakan namin ang momentum,” said CSB head coach GM candidate Fernie Donguines, bronze medalist in the 1994 Moscow World Chess Olympiad.

College of St. Benilde -De La Salle (52.5 points) and Colegio San Juan de Letran (45.0 points) finished 1-2 in the grueling preliminary round last Sunday to enjoy the twice to beat advantage in the cross-over semi-final round of the Senior Division.

No.3 San Sebastian College-Recoletos (44.0 points) and No.4 Mapua Institute of Technology (39.0 points) filled up the top four in the preliminary round).

Other teams competing were No.5 Emilio Aguinaldo College (33.5), No.6 San Beda College (29.5 points), No.7 University of Perpetual Help Dalta System (28.0 points), No.8 Jose Rizal University (5.5 points) and No.9 Arellano University (0.0, zero). Arellano University team losing streak 64 games.

In the Junior Division, last year’s runner-up San Sebastian College-Recoletos beat University of Perpetual Help Dalta System, 3-1, while defending champion Colegio San Juan de Letran defeated CSB-De La Salle Greenhills, 3.5-0.5, during their cross-over semi-final round to arrange a titular showdown on Saturday for the coveted crown.

Aldous Roy Coronel, Arvie Jongko and Paulo Cristobal spearheaded the Staglets after thrashing Dalta’s Niko Miso, Tristan Dandan and Marc Manero, on board 1 to 3 in order. Darell Dado won his match to John Mark Dimaliwat on board 4 to prevent a possible shut-out loss for his team. By: Marlon Bernardino


SCHEDULES

(Thursday, 1pm)
(Senior division)
San Sebastian College-Recoletos versus Colegio San Juan de Letran

Finals: (Saturday, 1 pm)
(Junior division)
San Sebastian College-Recoletos versus Colegio San Juan de Letran

(Senior Division)
College of St. Benilde -De La Salle versus the winner over the play off matches between
San Sebastian College-Recoletos and Colegio San Juan de Letran

Cross Over Semi-Final round results: (Tuesday)

(Junior division)
San Sebastian College-Recoletos beat University of Perpetual Help Dalta System, 3-1
Colegio San Juan de Letran beat CSB-De La Salle Greenhills, 3.5-0.5

(Senior division)
College of St. Benilde -De La Salle beat Mapua Institute of Technology, 2.5-1.5
San Sebastian College-Recoletos beat Colegio San Juan de Letran, 3-1

Final Team Standings after elimination round: (Sunday)
(Junior division)
55.0 points— San Sebastian College-Recoletos (twice to beat advantage)
54.0 points— Colegio San Juan de Letran (twice to beat advantage)
52.0 points—CSB-De La Salle Greenhills
31.5 points— University of Perpetual Help Dalta System
29.0 points—San Beda College
26.0 points— Emilio Aguinaldo College
18.0 points— Mapua Institute of Technology
12.5 points— Jose Rizal University
4.0 points—Arellano University

(Senior division)
52.5 points— College of St. Benilde -De La Salle (twice to beat advantage)
45.0 points— Colegio San Juan de Letran (twice to beat advantage)
44.0 points— San Sebastian College-Recoletos
39.0 points— Mapua Institute of Technology
33.5 points— Emilio Aguinaldo College
29.5 points— San Beda College
28.0 points— University of Perpetual Help Dalta System
15.5 points— Jose Rizal University
0.0 points—Arellano University