Pason, Mantilla top Shell Davao chess

MANILA, Philippines - Allan Pason upended top-ranked John Ray Batucan in the sixth round, then scored 2.5 points in the last three to clinch the juniors crown while Davao Wisdom Academy’s Earl Rhey Mantilla swept the kiddies plum in the 22nd Shell National Youth Active Chess Championships – Southern Mindanao leg at SM City in Davao City last Sunday.

The second-seeded Pason outdueled Batucan in a duel of unbeaten players, drew with Diego Claro in the next then beat Clark Anabieza and Raymund Vistal to emerge the solo winner in the 20-and-under section with 8.5 points.

The University of Cebu ace towed No. 7 Gerard Acedo into the grand finals of the event sponsored by Pilipinas Shell as the latter, a mainstay of Bukidnon State U, trounced Joerlz Gimony, Michael Gastala, Claro and Batucan to finish solo second with eight points and nail the other spot in the national finals set Oct. 11-12 at SM Megamall.

Gracing the awards rites were Pilipinas Shell District manager (VisMin) Mark Anthony Gayon, Shell Sasa Terminal manager Annadelyn Estoque, Shell Account manager (Lubricants) Christine Enriquez, Shell Sasa Operations administration Romulo Agoto Jr., and Shell active chess alumna Mary Israel Palero, the 2012 juniors champion.

The seventh-ranked Mantilla, who with Jason Comendador and Ezra Ocliasa swept their first five games, sustained his fiery form and downed Ocliasa, Roger Magdugo, Honey Grace Buenafe and Ranulfo Ranario at resumption to top the 14-and-under division with nine points. He moved to the grand finals with the 40th-ranked Magdugo, who wound up tied for second with Eric Yngayo Jr. with 7.5 points but took the second and last berth in the grand finals with a superior tiebreak score.

Mary Jonah Lequin finished tied for fifth with seven points and emerged the top female player in the juniors class while Honey Grace Bautista was the kiddies section’s top female player with seven points for joint fourth to both move to the grand finals of the event backed by Shell FuelSave Unleaded and Diesel, Shell Fuel Oils, Shell V Power Nitro and Shell Rimula, as well as by Unilever and SM Supermalls and sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

Claro, who shared the lead with Pason and Batucan after five rounds, hurdled Exiquila Apao in the sixth, drew with Pason in the next but lost to Acedo and Kenneth Tabada and ended up with 6.5 points.

Tabada and Tahseen Saludsong shared third place with 7.5 points while Batucan settled for joint fifth with seven points with James Bantugan, Danilo Engay Jr, Dexter Echalico and Lequin.

Ranked No. 49, Lequin went three of five at the break but swept her last four against John Pusta, the No. 20, Gimony, 22nd ranked Ardyin Hijastro and No, 15 Alji Cantonjos to crash into the national finals.

Buenafe, of Jose Maria College, finished tied for fourth with Ranario, Comendador, Charles Ayon, Allen de Asis and Michael Varquez to earn a spot in the finals.