Arquero, Bernardo bag Shell chess crowns

MANILA, Philippines - Kevin Arquero outdueled Rhenzi Kyle Sevillano in the seventh round then scored 1.5 points in the last two rounds to capture the juniors crown while Dale Bernardo made it two-in-row in kiddies play in the Shell National Youth Active Chess Championships grand finals at SM Megamall last Sunday.

Arquero, who vaulted into a share of the lead with Sevillano by beating fancied Jan Galan and Jerich Cajeras in the earlier rounds, outwitted Sevillano in their crucial encounter then trampled Aglipay Oberio in the eighth round before halving the point with Carlo Caranyagan in the final to emerge solo champion in the 20-and-under class with seven points.

The City University of Pasay student pocketed the top P30,000 purse and a trophy as he joined the elite circle of winners in the country’s longest-running talent-search sponsored by Pilipinas Shell that produced the likes of GMs Wesley So and Mark Paragua.

The second seed Cajeras drew with Felix Balbona in the seventh round and beat Sevillano and Gerard Acedo in the last two for 6.5 points then nipped Balbona in the tiebreak to clinch runner-up honors worth P20,000.

Bernardo, who scored 5.5 points in the first six rounds, proved sharper at resumption, sweeping his last three matches against Romeo Canino, Carl Sato and Istraelito Rilloraza to rule the 14-and-under category for the second straight year with 8.5 points.

The Holy Angel University standout, who received P20,000 plus trophy, won by a full point over La Salle Greenhills’ Julius Gonzales, who matched Bernardo’s solid finish with victories over Noel Geronimo, Stephen Rome Pangilinan and Canino for 7.5 points.

Sato wound up with 5.5 points and edged Pangilinan, Adrian de Luna and Valerio Mangubat in the tiebreak for third.

GM Eugene Torre exhorted the winners and the rest of the 36 grand finalists to strive for more and work hard to further hone their talent and skills during awards rites also graced by Pilipinas Shell Social Investment manager Jackie Ampil, Shell VP for Communications Mon del Rosario, Shell Commercial Fuels Marketing manager Phensiri Na Nakornphanom and Shell Account manager (Lubricants) Christine Enriquez.

Adelaide Joie Lim of Univ. of St. La Salle rallied to snatch the top girls’ juniors award, upending Virgenie Ruaya and erstwhile leader Gladys Hazelle Romero before humbling Jethro Esplanada in the final round to finish with 4.5 points.

Bhea Buen Ecal of MOGCHS, on the other hand, took the girls’ kiddies plum with five points, thwarting Kriztian Rocer Magdugo, Canino and Honey Grace Buenafe in the last three rounds of the event held event in conjuction with the centennial anniversary of the energy and gas technology leader in the Philippines.

The other backers of the five-month circuit, sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, were Shell FuelSave, Shell Fuel Oil Plus, Shell Advance, Unilever and SM Supermalls.