Lesaca, Batucan pace Shell Minda chess

MANILA, Philippines - Third seed Jon Lesaca and No. 4 John Ray Batucan posted a pair of five-game sweeps to arrange an explosive sixth round duel in the boys’ junior division of the 2012 Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship Mindanao leg at SM Davao Activity Center in Davao City over the weekend.

Lesaca, playing out of Cor Jesu College of Digos City, toppled Trey Alvarez, Jimzon Trangia, Carlito Lopez, Jayson Engay Jr. and Felix Balbona while Batucan, of Doña Carmen Denia National High School, stunned top seed Austin Literatus in the fifth round to cap his four-game romp over Richard Bulicatin, Kalyph Dioquino, Alvin Almejas and Neptali Batucan III.

With five points, Lesaca and Batucan dispute the solo lead in the sixth round with the winner gaining the inside track for the crown in the nine-round tournament and a berth in next month’s national finals of the annual talent-search sponsored by Pilipinas Shell.

Earlier, former Philippine Sports Commission chair Butch Ramirez and Jackie Ampil, Social Investment manager of Pilipinas Shell, made the ceremonial moves marking the start of the two-day tournament serving as the fourth leg of the circuit sanctioned by NCFP.

Also gracing the event were Pilipinas Shell’s Ronald Jabal, Internal Communications manager, retail district manager for Mindanao Neal Lada and media relations manager Toby Nebrida.

Unfancied Junmark Baldesimo, ranked 62nd in a field of 100, put himself in contention with 4.5 points in the premier 20-and-under class while Literatus dropped to the 10-player four-pointer group that includes Adrian Llanos, John Acedo, Danilo Engay Jr., Jayson Engay Jr., Michael Gastala, Jonathan Dapar, Balbona, Trangia and Neptali Batucan.

Mary Palero of Holy Cross of Davao College and Exiquila Apao of University of Mindanao also shared the lead in the girls’ junior side with four points but 13 others stood just right with three points, including Dhona Yngayo, Joselyn Gurang and Rose Aldovino.

Top seed Kyle Sevillano of Cebu City and No. 3 Kenneth Honculada of Xavier U-Cagayan de Oro also forged a tie in the boys’ kiddies division with five points while 19th ranked Ardyin Hijastro stayed in the hunt with 4.5 points and 10 players posted four points.

Ezra Ocliasa of Mayor Luis Rabat Memorial School-Mati City and Joerlz Gimony of Jose Maria College swept their first four games to share the lead in the girls’ kiddies class while Ella Moulic, Honey Buenafe and Irish Yngayo trailed just behind with 3.5 points.

Other backers of the event are Shell FuelSave Unleaded & Diesel, Shell V-Power Nitro+, Shell Helix Motor Oils, Shell Advance Motorcycle Oils, Shell FuelOil Plus and held in partnership with SM Supermalls, Rudy Project, Our Home, Unilab and Brickstone Mall.