Manansala, Dalauta rule Shell Naga leg

MANILA, Philippines - Randolph Dalauta of Rizal Tech U and Michael Angelo Manansala II came away with big victories in the last three rounds to rule their respective divisions in the Naga leg of the Shell National Youth Active Chess Championships at SM City Naga event center last Sunday.

The sixth seeded Dalauta battled back from joint fifth to emerge solo champion in the juniors division, beating Christiano Serrano, No. 2 Sheider Nebato and Gerald Ferriol to finish the seven-round tournament sponsored by Pilipinas Shell with 6.5 points.

Giovannie Romero bounced back from a sixth round loss to Ferriol by upending seventh ranked Arvin Dableo to finish with six points and nip three others in the tiebreak for runner-up honors in the event. Ferriol took the No. 3 spot, edging top seed Kevin Mirano and erstwhile co-leader John Morazo in the tiebreak.

Manansala defeated Patrick Destura, Michael Arteta and David Asug Jr. to complete a sweep of the 14-and-under category. Benigno de Jesus of Sto. Nino Academy of Bocaue, Bulacan also matched that seven-point output but Manansala, from First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities, took the crown with a superior tiebreak score.