UAAP Junior wars

BY: BOBBY ANG

(As published in Chess Piece, BusinessWorld, 10 April 2011)

2010-2011 UAAP Chess (Juniors)
9th Floor FEU Technology Building
Nicanor Reyes Sr Street
Sampaloc, Manila

Final Standings
1. FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY (FEU), 40.5/48
Bd01 Vince Angelo Medina, 8.5/11, Bd02 Jerad Docena, 10/11, Bd03 McDominique Lagula, 4/6, Bd04 Paul Robert Evangelista, 10/11, Bd05 Charles Daniel Abuzo, 6.0/7, Bd06 Enrica Villa, 2/2
Team Captain: Vince Angelo Medina
Coach: NM Alexander Milagrosa

2. ADAMSON UNIVERSITY (AdU), 31.5/48
Bd01 Crissa Canada, 1/3, Bd02 Jusmel Christian Fronda, 3/5, Bd03 Don Tyrone Delos Santos, 9/12, Bd04 Timothy John So Kua, 10/12, Bd05 Jean Karen Enriquez, 6.5/11, Bd06 Sudama Krishna Das Vergara, 2/5
Team Captain: Timothy John So Kua
Coach: Christopher Rodriguez

3. NATIONAL UNIVERSITY (NU), 30.5/48
Bd02 Alji Cantonjos, 8/12, Bd03 Kenneth Flores, 7/11, Bd04 Elijah Maliam, 6.5/12, Bd05 Vincent Joseph Fuerte, 8/12, Bd06 Quinna Louise Soler, 1/1
Team Captain: Quinna Louise Soler
Coach: Jose Aquino Jr
Manager: Samson Go

4. ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY (ADMU), 26.5/48
Bd01 FM Jan Emmanuel Garcia, 11/12, Bd02 Ralph Nathaniel Manahan, 1.5/5, Bd03 Lance Vincent Sese, 0.5/4, Bd04 Lorenzo Miguel Marquez, 4/10, Bd05 John Vincent Marcos, 5/9, Bd06 John Claude Andan, 4.5/8
Team Captain: Jan Emmanuel Garcia
Coach: IM Idelfonso Datu
Asst. Coaches: NM Rudy Ibanez, Alvin Yen, Chiara Lim, Jonathan Gonzales
Team Managers: Patrick Caoile, Joey Leviste

5. UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST (UE), 20.0/48
Bd01 Justine Nicole De Jesus, 0/1, Bd02 Ma Essah Theresa Cortes, 0/7, Bd03 Bryan Barcelon, 10/12, Bd04 Carl Lemuel Bernales, 2.5/10, Bd05 Alcon Paul Datu, 6/12, Bd06 Bianca Marie Datu, 1.5/6
Team Captian: Bryan Barcelon
Coach: Robert Gene Mariano

6. UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS (UST), 16.5/48
Bd01 Lance Cave, 3/10, Bd02 John Michael Yao, 2.5/9, Bd03 Hercules Ebol, 3.5/10, Bd04 Dustin Padilla, 5/11, Bd05 Moises Arcangel, 0/1, Bd06 Maria Leonora Daylo, 2.5/7
Team Captain: Dustin Padilla
Coach: Peter Lim

7. DELA SALLE-ZOBEL (DLS-Z), 2.5/48
Bd01 Joseina Margarita Mercado, 0/6, Bd02 Irwin Malana, 0.5/8, Bd03 Fernando Magtibay, 0/1, Bd04 Ramon Lorenzo Bulaong, 0.5/11, Bd05 Joseph Lara, 0.5/10, Bd06 Juan Raphael Sena, 1/12
Team Captain: Juan Raphael Sena
Coach: Giovanni Dy

MEDAL AWARDEES
Most Valuable Player (MVP): Jerad Docena FEU
Rookie of the Year: Jerad Docena FEU
Bd01 Gold, FM Jan Emmanuel Garcia ADMU, 11/12
Silver, Vince Angelo Medina FEU, 8.5/11
Bronze, Lance Cave UST, 3/10
Bd02 Gold, Jerad Docena FEU, 10/11
Silver, Alji Cantonjos NU, 8/12
Bronze, John Michael Yao, 2.5/9
Bd03 Gold, Bryan Barcelon UE, 10/12
Silver, Don Tyrone Delos Santos Adu, 9/12
Bronze, Kenneth Flores NU, 7/11
Bd04 Gold, Paul Robert Evangelista FEU, 10/11
Silver, Timothy John So Kua AdU, 10/12
Bronze, Elijah Maliam NU, 6.5/12
Bd05 Gold, Charles Daniel Abuzo FEU, 6/7
Silver, Vincent Joseph Fuerte NU, 8/12
Bronze, Jean Karen Enriquez AdU, 6.5/11
Bd06 Gold, John Claude Andan ADMU, 4.5/8
Silver, Maria Leonora Daylo UST, 2.5/7
Bronze, Bianca Marie Datu UE, 1.5/6

PREVIOUS UAAP JUNIOR CHAMPIONS:
1995-2002 Ateneo de Manila University (seven years)
2002-2007 University of the East (5 years)
2007-2010 Adamson University (three years)
2010-2011 Far Eastern University

So finally, after several years of futility (last year by a whisker), the Far Eastern University Baby Tamaraws finally won the high school UAAP chess team championship.

The top two players in the league were obviously Ateneo’s Jan Emmanuel "Jem" Garcia (in photo) and FEU’s Vince Angelo Medina. They were so strong that the other schools just put in sacrificial players on the top boards to try to score on the lower boards. Look at the table above on the board 1 awards -- the third placer, Lance Cave, got the bronze medal despite only scoring 30%! Everybody else put a weak player on top board and their strongest player on board 3 so as to be able to score points.

Jem Garcia was just in a different league -- just 15 years old he already has two International Master norms (acquired during the 9th Asian Individual Open Chess Champion in Subic Bay last April 2010, where he defeated GM Zhang Zhong, rated 2603!) and only needs one more to become a full International Master.

Garcia, Jan Emmanuel -- Yao, John Michael N [A15]
2010 -- 11 UAAP Juniors FEU (12), 13.02.2011
REQUIRES JAVA




Vince Angelo Medina (in photo) is not that far behind. His aggressive tactical style sometimes gives one the impression of sweeping away all opposition. Take a look at the following game.

Cantonjos, Alji B -- Medina, Vince Angelo [D93]
2010 -- 11 UAAP Juniors FEU (12), 13.02.2011
REQUIRES JAVA




Cantonjos gives up. The finish will be 36...Ke6 37.Kd1 Kd5 38.Kc1 a5 39.Kb2 b5 40.Bh6 a4 41.bxa4 d2! 42.Kc2 b4 One of the pawns will queen.

Reader comments/suggestions are solicited. E-mail address is bangcpa@gmail.com