Lesaca, Literatus reign in Shell Davao chess

MANILA, Philippines - Sixth seed Jon Christian Lesaca swept his last four games, including a final round upset of top seed Sheider Nebato, then edged Aglipay Oberio in the tiebreak to capture the boys’ juniors division crown in the Shell National Youth Active Chess Championships Mindanao leg at SM Davao Activity Center in Davao City last Sunday.

Slowed down by back-to-back draws from the third round, Lesaca, from Cor Jesu College of Digos, worked his way up by beating John Amar, John Acedo and erstwhile co-leader John Ray Batucan before surprising Nebato to finish the eight-round tournament with seven points.

The fifth-seeded Oberio, playing out of La Salle, also wound up with seven points, beating No. 3 Kenneth Tabada in the last round, but Lesaca took the crown with a superior tiebreak score. The two also advanced to the grand finals of the annual event sponsored by Pilipinas Shell slated Oct. 8-9 at SM Megamall.

Batucan and No. 2 Jerwell Andoy, who reeled from a sixth round loss to Batucan, finished with identical 6.5 points and missed the ticket to the national finals of the event sanctioned by National Chess Federation of the Phils.

Second seed Austin Jacob Literatus posted an eight-game sweep in the boys’ kiddies side, including victories over Cydric Dadole, top seed Kenneth Honculada, Ardyin Hijastro and Tristan Ibaoc, to cop the crown and a seat in the national finals.

Honculada bounced back by defeating Miguel Jorgio and Dadole to finish solo second with seven points for the other berth in the grand finals of the 14-and-under category of the event backed by Shell V-Power, Shellane and Shell Helix in partnership with SM Supermalls and Rudy Project.

Top seed Rowelyn Joy Acedo took the lone berth in the girls’ juniors class by finishing with six points in the seven-round event, including victories over Grace Ngo and Rose Aldovino in the last two rounds, then nipping Exiquila Apao, who also had six points, in the tiebreak.

Dhona Yngayo, on the other hand, beat Joerlz Gimony in the last round to emerge the solo winner in the girls kiddies side with 6.5 points for a stint in the national finals. Ella Moulic finished second with six points while Ezra Ocliasa and Mary Lequin ended up with identical 5.5 points.

On hand during awards were Sankie Simbulan, Pilipinas Shell Business and Corporate Communications manager, Ronald Suarez, Pilipinas Shell Sustainable Development manager, Mark Gayon, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. retail manager for Mindanao, and Emil Nasara, Lubricants Department account manager, and councilor and SK Federation president Jashera Gonzales.