Elman I best in Pacquiao random chess

MANILA, Philippines - Elman I crushed Aqua Eternal, 3-1, to finish with 16 points and capture the team championship in the second Manny Pacquiao Random Chess tournament at SM Mall in Gen. Santos City late Tuesday.

IM Joel Pimentel Jr. bowed to fellow IM Ronald Dableo but NM Hamed Nouri, June Syrell Coleta and Romeo Sadia swept the next three boards to lead Elman I to victory and the title romp worth P400,000.

Elman’s 1 sister team Elman A, led by unheralded Raymond Salcedo and Luffe Magdalaga, ended up tied for second with Nica Team Ilonggo of NM Rolando Andador with 14 points. They split the combined second and third place prizes of P350,000.

Cafe Ligbeans B, Team Zamboanga, Team Larry D, Tagaytay City Chess Team and Batucan and Friends finished fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively, and also won cash prizes put up by Rep. Pacquiao, who gave away prizes up to the 50th placer.

Dableo, who finished with 8.5 points, emerged as the Top Board 1 player, while Jerry Areque of Tagaytay City Chess Team, was the Top Board 2 player with eight points.

Eutemio Coquillo of MJ Yabut Realty-Pam-Cdo A, took the top plum in Board 3 with 7.5 points, while John Michael Parrenas of Suralla, So. Cotabato topped Board 4 with 8.5.

Meanwhile, 25 players, led by GM Joey Antonio, IMs Jan Emmanuel Garcia, Richelieu Salcedo, Chito Garma and Pimentel, Fide Master Austin Jacob Literatus and NMs Leo Mercado, Jared Docena and Nouri, remained tied for the lead after three rounds of the individual event of the tournament organized by the MP Chess Players Association headed by GM Eugene Torre.

Antonio, who beat Alfredo Rapanot in the third round, meets Mercado at the top board in the fourth round, while Garcia and Literatus clash in board 2, and Henry Lopez takes on the 17-year old Docena on board 3.