2nd Santa Rosa Estates 2 Chess Cup

BY: ANTHONY NAVARRO (aka pinoymaster77)

The most noble and generous chess undertaking that I know of in Laguna chess got underway last November 29 at the posh Sta Rosa Estates 2 Clubhouse. This is the second staging of this chess project following the successful first tournament conducted earlier in May during the summer break. This chess project which is the brainchild of organizer and SRE2 Officer Boboy Solero aims to promote chess amoung the young and SRE2’s surrounding communities, particularly Laguna’s 1st District.

Taking off from the initial May tourney wherein the participants mainly came from Santa Rosa and neighboring Binan villages, the tournament has had wider awareness and attracted a modest field of 54 players consisting of 26 players in the Open, 12 players in the Juniors (14 to 19yrs old) and 16 players in the Kiddies (13yrs old & below) Division. Players from Calamba,Los Banos and even from Pagsanjan and Muntinlupa played in the event, joining the ranks of Sta Rosa and Brent players who played in the May event. Players from Caritas Don Bosco couldn’t make it due to concurrent schedule of the DBAA competitions. Nevertheless aside from the free snacks plus coffee and the air-conditioned venue, this event offered very juicy prizes for each division as follows :

Champion PhP 3000
1st Runner-Up 2000
2nd Runner-Up 1000
4th Place 750
5th Place 500
6th to 10th Places 300

Best female for kiddies got PhP 300 while those for Juniors and Open got PhP 500. No wonder this 2nd staging became a virtual ‘Laguna Open’ since most of the toughest kiddies and juniors players in Laguna were in the field. The only other kiddies players whom I’m not aware of who weren’t able to play were Fortado (Santa Rosa) and Perez (San Pablo)., Manansala also didn’t make it in time for the first round.

In the hotly contested Kiddies event, Palarong Pambansa silver medalist Michelle Yaon of Calamba ruled the field, with an exciting final round fighting draw with defending champion Shania Mae Mendoza. Kenneth Flores of Pagsanjan also wielded a big stick in derailing other top woodpushers, this kid also did well in the recent 1st CUC Chess Olympics upsetting national age grouper Jerad Docena and also placed well in the Tahanang Walang Hagdanan (TWH) event by Meralco Chess Club last Dec. 6. Sta Rosa’s Shania Mae fought through the tougher field and finished third, followed closely by another top Santa Rosa kiddie player Mark James ‘MJ’ Marcellana.

Both players are the top guns of Sta Rosa’s MJ & Erl’s kiddies chess team which placed 2nd in the Laguna Intertown,under the tutelage of Coach Tony Yu. Both are also competing in the on-going Singapore Chess Festival this Dec 10 thru 14. Jhoemar Mendiogarin rounded up the top 5. We look forward to more slambang action, hopefully in the summer of 2010!

Here are the TOP TEN finishers per Division ( 5 Rounds Swiss System, 25 Mins Rapid):
Chief Arbiter : Joel Hicap Arbiter : Ver Alba

KIDDIES (13 Yrs Old & Below)
NAME LOCATION Points
Michelle Yaon Calamba 4.5
Kenneth Flores Pagsanjan 4.0
Shania Mae Mendoza Santa Rosa 3.5
Mark James Marcellana Santa Rosa 3.5
Jhoemar Mendiogarin Calamba 3.0
Ma. Yssabelle Semillano Muntinlupa 3.0 Top Female
Blaine Atkins Brent 3.0
Janelle Basbas Santa Rosa 2.5
Nathan Jeong Brent 2.5
John Vic Mendiogarin Calamba 2.0

JUNIORS (14Yrs to 19Yrs Old)
Christian Nanola Calamba 4.5
Aaron Rivas Binan 4.0
Michael Penero Binan (Perpetual) 3.5
Kelly Rancap Binan (Perpetual) 3.0
John Pason ? 3.0
Ruth De Guzman Santa Rosa 3.0 Top Female
Mauro Ciriaco Santa Rosa 3.0
Mark Tanamor Calamba 2.0
Amram Rivas Binan 2.0
Louis Ryu Brent 1.0

OPEN
Jayson Visca Binan 5.0
Irineo Gonzales Calamba 4.0
Resvin Diocares Santa Rosa 4.0
Ronald De Guzman Santa Rosa 3.5
Niko Minguez Santa Rosa 3.5 (3rd Yr HS)
Benjo Panganiban ? 3.5
Richie Jocson Calamba 3.5
Anthony Gallon ? 3.0
Gerlyn Medina ? 3.0
Bel Reboldela ? 3.0
Michaela Concio (15th Place) Los Banos 2.5 Top Female