Turqueza, Docena rule Duterte chess

Manila, Philippines - Mari Joseph Turqueza beat Joey Florendo in the final round to rule the boys’ 20-under crown in the Mayor Inday Sarah Duterte Cup-National Age-Group chess championships at the Gaisano Mall in Davao City yesterday.

Turqueza, 18, finished tied with Richeliue Salcedo with six points after seven rounds of play but clinched the championship via the winner-over-the-other rule. The San Sebastian bet defeated Salcedo in the fourth round.

Turqueza, a mainstay of the V. Luna Chess Club, also earned the right to represent the country in the ASEAN age-group tournament in Indonesia on June 11-20. 

Salcedo overwhelmed Neptali Batucan III to match Turqueza’s output in the tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) in cooperation with the Davao City government, through Mayor Duterte.

Kevin Mirano, Lennoin Hart Salgados, Nigel Galan and Batucan were joint third with five points.

Jedara Docena defeated Eibtizam Nahudan in the fifth round to clinch the girl’s 12-under crown.

Mary Israel Palero finished tied with Docena for first with 4.5 points but the latter won the title with a superior tiebreak score.

Jessa Marie Balbona whipped Vangielyn Bautista for third with 3.5 points.

Jerad Docena won the boys’ 14-under title via sweep of seven games.

Docena, ranked fourth in a field of 41, finished one and a half points ahead of Givanni Mejia and two points clear of hometown bet Austin Jacob Literatus, reigning national junior champion Paulo Bersamina, Carlo Caranyagan, Felix Shaun Balbona and Kenneth Honcullada.

Jesca Docena also ruled the girls’ 10-under class to underscore the Docenas’ domination of the event. She pooled 4.5 points in five rounds, beating Vanessa Magno, Loraiine Yngayo, and Vic Glyusen Derotas, who all finished with four points.