THE Misamis Oriental-Cagayan de Oro chess contingent has been dubbed as the ‘hakot awards’ in the just-concluded Misamis Occidental chessfest, even as Arena Fide Master Janin Dhrey Querequere of Balingoan and Sean Kenneth Cogonon of Cebu City shared the spotlight with International Master Joel Pimentel in taking the major cash prizes.
The 10-year-old Querequere from Balingoan Central School and the 12-year-old Ashley Aya Nicole Paquinol from Capitol University Basic Education of Cagayan de Oro played to a draw in the fifth round and won the rest of their respective matches to finish with identical 6.5 points each.
A better tiebreak results however propelled Querequere to the elementary’s top podium in snaring the P4,000 top prize and the championship trophy.
The Corpus Christi High School-bound Paquinol received the first runner-up prize of P2,000 as Cagayan de Oro compatriot Alberth Balase from Liceo de Cagayan University got the second runner-up purse of P1,400 after winning the tiebreaker over fellow 5.5 pointers Uzziah del Mundo from Pagadian City who settled for the third runner-up prize of P1,000.
Cebu’s top junior Cogonon yielded just a draw for his 6.5 points total in seven rounds to bring home the P6,000 top purse in the high school category.
All three Misamis Oriental bets Lyn Getubig (Natumolan, Tagoloan), Samantha Trish Balquin (MOGCHS), and Lyn’s younger sister LJ Getubig formed a four-way logjam with Cebu’s Luke Symon Lozada at six points apiece but with superior tiebreak results.
They ran away with P4,000, P2,000, P1,400, and P1,000 each.
“Wala nasayang ang kahago sa mga bata kay halos sila tanan ang nipatak,” said Samantha’s father Johnnel Balquin who placed second behind eventual Open division winner Pimentel in the highly successful First Asenso Misamis Occidental National Open Chess Tournament being held July 8-9 at the AYA Hotel and Residences in Clarin, Misamis Occidental.
Rounding up the elementary’s top-10 winners are Aron Pitos (Oroquieta City), Meghael Gregoire Mondia (Tangub City) Ruy Lopez (Pagadian City), Philipp Samonte II (Pagadian City), Mark John Paul Uy (Pagadian City) and Keith Khian Salvia (Lanao del Norte).
Completing the secondary’s top-10 finishers are Grace Calunod (Tangub City), Dominic Carl Gumisad (Tangub City), Kattrina Lim(Ozamiz City), Jomar Anhao (Tangub City), and RJ Bargayo (Zamboanga del Sur).
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