NCAA chess war (2)

BY: BOBBY ANG

(An abridged version as published in Chess Piece, BusinessWorld, 25 November 2010)

2010 NCAA Chess Team Championships (Juniors)
Final Standings

1. College of Saint Benilde-LSGH (CSB-LSGH), 50/64. bd01 Jan Nigel Galan 10.5/12, bd02 Giovanni Mejia 15/16, bd03 Alfonso Baldomero Ramos 8/13, bd04 Migueal Lahoz 10/14, bd05 Alexander Jude Mendonez 2.5/4, bd06 Angelo Ezekiel Nuestro 4/5

2. Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL), 50.5/64. bd01 Cherry Ann Mejia 12/16, bd02 Mikee Charlene Suede 12.5/15, bd03 Christian Dave Cabida 11.5/16, bd04 Christian Ray Drapete 9.5/12, bd05 Mary Joyce Fuerte 4/4, bd06 Ivan Czar Marquez 1/1

3. San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSC-R), 48/64. bd01 Aldous roy Coronel 11.5/13, bd02 Kristian Paulo Cristobal 10.5/15, bd03 Anfernee Bonifacio 8.5/12, bd04 Ralph Jordan Floro 8/10, bd05 Eugene Samonte 1.5/4, bd06 Homel Aristotle Cunanan 8/10

4. Arellano University (AU), 47/64. bd01 Earvin John Reyes 2.5/8, bd02 Kyz Llantada 8.5/16, bd03 Carlo Caranyagan 14/16, bd04 Jaymarc Gutierrez 15/16, bd05 Tucker Howard Elsteine Viernes 7/8

5. Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC), 33/64. bd01 Drexter Saquilayan 11/15, bd02 Clinto Paulo Verano 9.5/16, bd03 Kim Patrick Falagne 4.5/14, bd04 Jeune Keith Mabanag 6.5/13, bd05 Josue Rameses Puno 0/2, bd06 Francis Benedict Galpo 1.5/4

6. University of Perpetual Help System Dalta (UPHS-D), 28.5/64. bd01 Paulink Barba 5/15, bd02 Marc Angelo Manero 5.5/16, bd03 Tristan Wayne Dandan 12/16, bd04 Darell John Dado 6/15, bd05 Anthony James Benedicto 0/2

7. San Beda College (SBC), 13.5/64. bd01 Mark Lester Monteclaro 3/16, bd02 John Emil Salazar 5.5/14, Aron Nathaniel Bernardez .5/14, bd04 Kenneth Byron Gutierrez 4/13, bd05 Nicolai Paul Quinquini

8. Jose Rizal University (JRU), 12/64. bd01 Ferdinand Mapili 1.5/9, bd02 Kenneth Christian Valerio 1.5/14. bd03 Jaynel Pasia 1/11, bd 04 Keith Cerwin Castalone, bd05 Jefferson Torres 4/14

9. Mapua Institute of Technology (MIT), 5.5/64. Nathaniel Marco de Leon 1/11, bd02 Kenny Jade Estores .5/15,bd03 Stephen Elijah Pasol 1.5/10, bd04 Laineer Aiden Dimaapi 2/15, bd05 Kyla Dawn Mina .5/7, bd06 Mary Lara Shane Gaspar

Gold Medals:
board 1 Aldous Roy Coronel SSC-R 11.5/13
board 2 Giovanni Mejia CSB-LSGH 15/16
board 3 Carlo Caranyagan AU 14/16
board 4 Jaymarc Gutierrez AU 15/16
board 5 Tucker Howard Elsteine Viernes AU 7/8
board 6 Homel Aristotle Cunanan SSC-R 8/10
MVP: Giovanni Mejia CSB-LSGH
COACH OF THE YEAR: NM Erwin Carag CSB-LSGH

The College of St. Benilde-La Salle Greenhills (CSB-LSGH) won the 2010 NCAA Junior Championship. Their 1-2-3 punch were Jan Nigel Galan (10.5/12), Jose Baldomero Ramos (8/13) and Giovanni Mejia (15/16). The first two are among the top Under-16 year olds in the ASEAN region, as evidenced by the 2010 ASEAN Age Group Championship held recently in Subic, while Mejia was last year’s grade school champion of the Student Olympics.

Ramos had a rough start with three straight losses, but when it counted most delivered the precious points in the second round and play-offs. Here is the decisive encounter in the money round when the first and second round winners faced off to determine the NCAA Junior Champion.

Ramos, Alfonso Baldomero R -- Suede, Mikee Charlene M [C02]
2010 NCAA Chess Juniors Playoff SM City Manila (1), 24.08.2010
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This loss on board 2 meant that the Letran top board, Cherry Mejia had to beat CSB-LSGH’s Giovanni Mejia for Letran to have any chance at the title (in case of a tied match whoever wins on the top boards is adjudged the champion). Cherry had a draw by perpetual but went for a very risky line which backfired. The final playoff result was 2.5-1.5 in favor of CSB-LSGH (on board 3 Letran’s Christian Cabida beat CSB’s Miguel Lahoz), and so College of St. Benilde-La Salle Greenhills snatched the crown away from Letran (take note from the standings above that Letran had more points, 50.5 against 50, than CSB-LSGH).