NCAA Chess Wars (Annotated Games)

By: BOBBY ANG

(As published in Chess Piece, BusinessWorld, 06 November 2009)

NCAA CHESS (Juniors)
Schoolyear 2009-2010

Final Standings

Champion. San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSC-R). bd01 Aldous Roy V. Coronel (13.5/15), bd02 Arvie B. Jongko (8.5/13), bd03 Kristian Paulo V. Cristobal (13/14), bd04 John Mark M. Dimaliwat (11/13), bd05 Anfernee T. Bonifacio (8/8), bd06 Michael A. Grimaldo (1/1). Team Captain: Aldous Roy Coronel, Team Coach: NM Homer Cunanan.

2nd Place. Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL). bd01 Jan Jodilyn P. Fronda (11/15), bd02 Cherry Ann P. Mejia (11/13), bd03 Christian Ray E. Drapete (4/5), bd04 Mikee Charlene M. suede (11/13), bd05 Christian Dave B. Cabida (9.5/10), bd06 Mary Joyce T. Fuerte (7.5/8). Team Captain: Jan Jodilyn P. Fronda, Team Coach: NM Roland Joseph Perez.

3rd Place. College of Saint Benilde-LSGH (CSB-LSGH). bd01 Jan Nigel H. Galan (12/13), bd02 Miguel B. Lahoz (10/13), bd03 Emmanuel Elijah F. Songcuya III (6/8), bd04 Alfonso Baldomero R. Ramos (9.5/13), bd05 Alexander Jude B. Mendonez (5.5/7), bd06 Antonito Miguel R. Ramos (9/10). Chess Program Head: Victorino Lahoz, Team Captain: Jan Nigel H. Galan, Head coach: IA Erwin Carag, Asst. Coach: NM Marlon Bernardino, Asst. Coach: Roy Madayag, Team Manager: Victorino Lahoz

4th Place. University of Perpetual Help System Dalta (UPHSD). bd01 Niko P. Miso (5/13), bd02 Tristan Wayne D. Dandan (8/16), bd03 Marc Angelo J. Manero (8/16), bd04 Darell John G. Dado (10.5/16), bd05 Paulink C. Barba (0/3). Team Coach: Ferdinand L. Reyes

5th Place. San Beda College (SBC). bd01 John Paul E. Dionisio (5/8), bd02 Ian Ferdinand C. Chua (8.5/13), bd03 Ralph Andrew B. Idencio (5/13), bd04 Mark Lester M. Monteclaro (5/14), bd05 John Emil E. Salazar (5.5/11), bd06 Patrick Neil M. Quiniquini (0/5). Team Captain: Ian Ferdinand Chua, Team Coach: Harold Henry Mariano.

6th Place. Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC). bd01 Drexter M. Saquilayan (10.5/16), bd02 Clinton Paulo P. Verano (8/16), bd03 Jeune Keith G. Mabanag (4/13), bd04 Rey Marlon V. Mano (0/4), bd05 Biencarlo M. Villa (4.5/12), bd06 Kyle Vincent C. Gana (0/3). Team Captain: Drexter M. Saquilayan, Head Coach: Jelvis A. Calvelo, Asst. Coach: Marshee B. Rayco.

7th Place. Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT). bd01 Ryan Jeremy Simbulan (2/14), bd02 Jhibraiil C. Abdulla (1/7), bd03 Luc Mikhail Loja (9.5/13), bd04 Marco Rodriguez (5.5/12), bd05 Matthew Melvin Cheng (2/9), bd06 Steven Vilbar (1/9). Team Captain: Luc Mikhail Loja, Team Coach: NM Roderick Nava

8th Place. Jose Rizal University (JRU). bd01 Mark Ephraim A. Capobres (1/10), bd02 Christoffer Esmundo (.5/12), bd03 Patrick O. Cuevas (2.5/10), bd04 Fernando M. Mapili Jr (2/15), bd05 Jaynel C. Pasia (6.5/15), bd06 Bryan M. Ishiwata (0/2). Team Captain: Mark Rphraim Capobres, Head Coach: Jeremy Jabson, Asst. Coach: Harold Zamora.

9th Place. Arellano University (AU). bd01 Yvan Oliver U. Reyes (3/16), bd02 John Cedrick D. Sychangco (1/16), bd03 Erl Michael D. Buenaventura (0/16), bd04 Alec Jabe R. Padua (1/16). Team Captain: John Cedrick Sychangco, Team Coach: Sammy D. Benitez, Team Manager: Peter Cayco

MVP: Aldous Roy V. Coronel (SSC-R)

Coach of the Year: NM Homer Cunanan (SSC-R)

Board Gold Medalists:

bd01 Jan Nigel H. Galang CSB-LSGH 12/13
bd02 Cherry Ann P. Mejia CSJL 11/13
bd03 Kristian Paulo V. Cristobal SSC-R 13/14
bd04 John Mark M. Dimaliwat SSC-R 11/13
bd05 Anfernee T. Bonifacio SSC-R 8/8
bd06 Mary Joyce T. Fuerete CSJL 7.5/8

The battle for supremacy in NCAA Junior chess was between three teams, the San Sebastian College Recoletos, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, and College of Saint Benilde-LSGH, everybody else finished far behind. Also, the battle formula for the three was the same – try to at least draw with the other two, and beat the other teams with the maximum scores. Here is how they did:

San Sebastian defeated Letran 2.5-1.5 in the 15th round and drew all other matches with their main rivals. In the 8th round they beat San Beda 3-1, and in the 12th Emilio Aguinaldo College 3.5-0.5. All other matches were whitewashes: 4-0.

Letran beat St. Benilde 3-1 in the 3rd round and lost to San Sebastian 1.5-2.5 in the 15th. They blanked all other opponents except for Mapua (3-1 in the 4th) and Perpetual Help (3.5-0.5 in the 8th).

Saint Benilde lost to Letran (1-3) in the 3rd round, then drew all their other matches with Letran and San Sebastian. The other teams they routed either 4-0 or 3.5-0.5 (with the sole exception of Mapua in the 2nd round, which they beat 3-1)

The semi-finals saw San Sebastian vs Perpetual Help (3-1), and
Letran vs College of St. Benilde, which was expected to be a tough grind but surprisingly saw a 3.5-0.5 Knight romp.

The finals was an easy San Sebastian win over Letran (3-1).

Harmony. The board 1 gold medalist Jan Nigel Galan of St. Benilde specializes in the Closed Sicilian; in this way he reminds me of former world champion Vassily Smyslov, the maestro of harmony in chess. None of that confrontational chess, in the opening just develop your pieces, in the middlegame probe for weaknesses, and then you can either attack or grab material, then kill them in the ending.

Galan,Jan Nigel H - Fronda,Jan Jodilyn P (2027) [B24]
2009 NCAA Chess (Juniors) Cyberzone, SM Manila (12), 30.08.2009



Woman Power. The NCAA has no women’s division (what the heck is the WNCAA for anyway?), so what did Letran do? They fielded their women players into their men’s team! Jan Jodilyn Fronda (11/15), Cherry Ann Mejia (11/13), Mikee Charlene Suede (11/13) and Mary Joyce Fuerte (7.5/8) showed that they completely belonged in the league. That’s 4 out of a total of 6 players! Must be some sort of record.

Jan Jodilyn Fronda represented the Philippines in the Beijing Mind Games and probably has the most international experience in the whole junior league. She lost twice to her rival top boards (Coronel of San Sebastian and Galan of St. Benilde) in the eliminations, but was merciless in the semis and finals, beating them both. She is the heart and soul of the Letran team.

Fronda,Jan Jodilyn P - Galan,Jan Nigel H [B53]
2009 NCAA Chess sf (Juniors) Cyberzone, SM Manila (1), 22.09.2009



Master of Quiet. Roy Aldous Coronel of San Sebastian has a quiet style, and plays the Italian Guioco Pianissimo, the “Quiet Game”. Surprisingly, he wins a lot of games straight of the opening. Take a look at this one.

Coronel,Aldous Roy V - Simbulan,Ryan Jeremy [C50]
2009 NCAA Chess (Juniors) Cyberzone, SM Manila (5), 08.08.2009