UAAP chess juniors

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BY: BOBBY ANG

(As published in Chess Piece, BusinessWorld, 19 April 2010)

UAAP Chess (Juniors)
2009-2010 Season

CHAMPION: ADAMSON UNIVERSITY (ADU), 36/48. Bd01 Timothy John S. So Kua 4/9, Bd02 Ali Guya 10/12, Bd03 Steven James Dacanay 7/11, Bd04 Jesse O. Abucejo 11.12, Bd05 Jean Karen Y. Enriquez 4/4. Coach: Christopher Rodriguez

2ND PLACE: FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY (FEU), 35.5/48. Bd01 Paul Robert G. Evangelista 7/10, Bd02 Vince Angelo O. Medina 10/12, Bd03 MC Dominique Q. Lagula 6.5/11, Bd04 Jeremiah C. Alfonso 9/11, Bd05 Jose Carlos S. Castro 3.0/4. Coach: NM Alexander Milagrosa

3RD PLACE: UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST (UE), 34.5/48. Bd01 Bianca Marie Datu 1/1, Bd02 Alcon Paul J. Datu 5/10, Bd03 Alcon John Z. Datu 9.5/12, Bd04 Bryan B. Barcelon 8/11, Bd05 Christy Lamiel P. Bernales 11/12, Bd06 Chessa May O. Nadera 0/2. Coach: Robert Gene Mariano

4TH PLACE: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY (NU), 26/48. Bd01 Jolina Mae M. Saltorio 0/0, Bd02 Daniel Elijah S. Sanchez 9.5/12, Bd03 Felipe V. Magdalaga Jr. 5.5/12, Bd04 Vincent Joseph T. Fuerte 7/12, Bd05 Nico Ocinne B. Soler 1/5, Bd06 Quinna Louise B. Soler 3/7. Coach: Jose A. Aquino Jr. Manager: Samson Go

5TH PLACE: ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY (AdMU), 25.5/48. Bd01 Oliver Martin M. Vallarta 4.5/10, Bd02 Jan Emmanuel E. Garcia 11/12, Bd03 Timothy John N. Esguerra 3.5/9, Bd04 Gabriel R. Layugan 6/12, Bd05 Vincent M. Recto 0/1, Bd06 Renato Cornell C. Labadan 0.5/4. Coach: Ildefonso Datu (not to be confused with his brother IM Idelfonso Datu)

6TH PLACE: UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS (UST), 9/48. Bd01 Maria Leonora F. Daylo 2.5/12, Bd02 Agatha Lei M. Romero 1/9, Bd03 Nico Adriel D. Paguagan 2/9, Bd04 Dustin D. Padilla 2.5/10, Bd05 Moises D. Arcangel II 0/3, Bd06 John Michael N. Yao, 1/5. Coach: Peter Lim

7TH PLACE: DELA SALLE ZOBEL (DLS-Z), 1.5/48. Bd01 Javier Maria Q. Ortega 0/0, Bd02 Ramon Lorenzo M. Bulaong 0/7, Bd03 Irwin Rommel L. Malana 0.5/9, Bd04 Joseph Gabriel R. Lara 1/10, Bd05 Miguel Limgenco 0/11, Bd06 Juan Raphael S. Sena 0/11. Coach: Giovanni "Jojo" Dy.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:
Most Valuable Player (MVP). Jesse O. Abucejo (ADU)
Rookie of the Year: Paul Robert G. Evangelista (FEU)
Gold Medalists:
Bd01 Paul Robert G. Evangelista FEU 7/10
Bd02 Jan Emmanuel E. Garcia AdMU 11/12
Bd03 Alcon John Z. Datu UE 9.5/12
Bd04 Jesse O. Abucejo ADU 11/12
Bd05 Christy Lamiel P. Bernales UE 11/12
Bd06 Quinna Louise B. Soler NU 3/7

Adamson has won the UAAP junior title again, its third straight. But this one was close. FEU, trying to accomplish a triple championship (they had, after all, won both the Seniors and Women’s chess crowns) chased them all the way and just fell short by half a point when their 4th board Jeremiah Alfonso (who until then had scored 9/10) lost to UST’s Dustin Padilla (who was at 1.5/9) in the last round.

The rookie of the Year, Paul Robert Evangelista was "imported" by FEU coach GM Jayson Gonzales from Pangasinan. He is the son of veteran chess campaigner Ritchie Evangelista.
The coaches manipulated their lineups to give their star players the best chances to get the maximum scores. Therefore FM Jan Emmanuel Garcia, a veteran international campaigner who is, of course, Ateneo’s best player, was downgraded to board 2 while UE’s NM Alcon John Datu, the country’s reigning Under-16 champion, was brought all the way down to board 3. Adamson’s Jesse Abucejo was way too strong for board 4, and parlayed his dominance into a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. In fact, he only lost one game, but what a game!

Alfonso, Jeremiah C -- Abucejo, Jesse O [B08]
2009-10 UAAP Chess [JUNIORS] Tan Yan Kee Bldg., UST (12), 20.02.2010
REQUIRES JAVA





Of course, it is very unfair for me to feature Abucejo’s lone loss when in fact he had 11 wins, so here I am making amends:

Bernales, Christy Lamiel P -- Abucejo, Jesse O [B07]
REQUIRES JAVA





Evangelista, Paul Robert G -- Datu, Alcon Paul J [B03]
REQUIRES JAVA

Please do not confuse Black with the gold medalist on 3rd board, Alcon John Datu.





I can only say this about my alma mater, UST. SHEEESH. SHAPE UP! Last year you scored 7.5/48 and this year 9/48!? This is improvement!? You have forgotten the institution you represent, and together with last year put in the worst chess performances since its founding in 1611! This is the school which produced greats like GM Bong Villamayor, Sammy Estimo, Edmund Pascual, Efren Bagamasbad, Angelo Subido, Roland Salvador, the Bitoon brothers and many many more -- you really have to do better. I have worked with GMs Torre, Antonio, Villamayor and Laylo, and captained/coached our national team to the Istanbul Olympiad -- and to see my beloved school down in the pits!? Susmaryosep!

Admittedly, I have not had time to go through all the games in the UAAP. I’d like to extend this invitation to the UAAP chess players: if you played a good game and would like to share it with our readers please e-mail me at the address given above, together with your comments. On another matter, anyone who wants a copy of the UAAP can also just e-mail me I will send you a pgn file.