Montoya, Cuyag rule Shell chessfest

BACOLOD — Veteran Shell active chess kiddie campaigner Edsel Montoya of La Carlota City and Cebu’s John Micole Cuyag scored contrasting victories in the final round to emerge champions in their respective divisions in the Shell National Youth Active Chess Championships here.

The black-playing Montoya handled the Four Knights game with aplomb and forced a draw with Mateo Paron, whom he nipped in a tiebreak to win the top P5,000 purse. Montoya and Paron finished tied with 6.5 points. Paron settled for P4,000.

In the 14-and-under bracket, Cuyag dominated the field en route to sweeping the seven-round tournament as he won the gold medal and the top P4,000 top prize. He beat Rayelynn Posadas in 38 moves of a Queen’s Gambit Declined in the final round of this Philippine Chess Federation-sanctioned event.

Christian Espayos of Talisay City won his last two games to finish second with 6.5 points (P3,000), while Posadas took the bronze and P2,000. Montoya, Paron, Cuyag and Espayos will represent Bacolod in the grand finals set this December in Manila.