MANILA, Philippines - Top seeds John Alcon Datu and Haridas Pascua trounced their respective rivals to lead the march of the fancied bets at the start of the 2011 National age group chess championships at the Narciso Ramos Civic and Sports Center in Lingayen, Pangasinan over the weekend.
Ranked first in the premier boys’ 18-under division, Datu crushed Lee Francis de Lena while the second-seeded Pascua clobbered Arvie Jongko to set in motion their respective title bids in the nine-round Swiss system tournament which drew 270 players in 12 age-group divisions.
Other winners in the boys’ 18-under were Jan Nigel Galan, Marc Christian Nazario, Gil Virgen Ruaya, Lennon Hart Salgados and Edison Meadow Trinanes.
In the day’s biggest upset, Stella Theresa Aquino toppled top seed and Women FIDE Master Cherry Ann Mejia in the girls 16-under.
In the girls’ 18-under class, FIDE Master Chardine Cheradee Camacho, Loraine Salinas, Christine Joyce Laz, Nikki Erika Yngayo, Irene Mye Samonte and Jamie Hilary Manzano disposed of their respective rivals.
Among the boys’ 16-under winners were Jan Emmanuel Garcia, Paul Robert Evangelista, Romy Fagon, Christian Nanola, Roy Aldous Coronel and Dave Patrick Dulay.