Sta. Cruz Gallery, two others lead Sinulog Team chess

Cebu - Sta. Cruz Gallery, Sikad Talisay and Cebu Progress Marketing remained undefeated after three rounds in the 2009 Cebu Sinulog Open Team Chess Team Tournament at SM City Cebu.

As of yesterday, these three teams have six points in the unofficial standing. Teams earn two points for a win, one point for draw and zero for loss.

Sta. Cruz, with Carlos Cabuenas playing Board 1, drew the tough assignments versus Mabolo and Visayas Surplus at the start of the tournament but manage to beat both teams.

Yesterday, Sta. Cruz had another tough customer in the University of Cebu men’s team led by Kim Steven Yap. Just the same, Sta. Cruz walked away with a 3.5- 0.5 win worth another two points.

Cabuenas started the ball rolling by beating Yap in the top board. The other Sta. Cruz woodpushers extracted wins in their respective boards except in Board 3 where Glicel Gepiga drew with UC’s Bernard Ruello Jr.

Sikad Talisay earned its points by defeating UC Women’s Team and White Sands on opening day then toppled previously undefeated OPASCOR yesterday.

Sikad Talisay’s Carlos Moreno defeated Erwin Ababat of OPASCOR on Board 1, Gamaliel Regis outsmarted Joel Ababat on Board 2, Venerio Loyola won on Board 4, while Neil Lagutin lost to Joel Pacuribot on Board 3.

Cebu Progress Marketing spearheaded by Richard Natividad were too much for the Lapu-Lapu kids and the University of the Visayas in the first two rounds before dumping Lapu-Lapu City squad in the third round yesterday.

With four rounds left as of this writing, the rest of the competing squads are still contending for the championship.

Thirty-two squads joined the action including two female squads, UC and Handuraw Pizza and two kiddie squads, the Balbona Kids and Lapu-Lapu Kids.

The Cebu Executives and Professional Chess Association (CEPCA) with the support of the Cebu City government, is the tournament’s organizers. —Caecent No-ot Magsumbol (THE FREEMAN)