Unheralded Elman 1 seizes MP chess lead

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Lightly regarded Elman 1 trounced Nica Team Ilonggo, 3.5-0.5, in the seventh round yesterday to grab the solo lead in the 2nd Manny Pacquiao Random Chess Championship at SM City here.

International Master Joel Pimentel, National Master Hamed Nouri and untitled Syrell June Coleta bested their respective opponents to assure the 32nd-ranked Elman 1 of its sixth victory against one draw for 13 points in the team competition.

Pimentel prevailed over NM Rolando Andador in board 1, Nouri downed Allan Asuela in board 2, and Coleta subdued Mark Josell Mariano in board 3 to seal the victory that put the Bacolod squad a point ahead of Team Zamboanga and Team Elman A.

Romeo Sadia drew his board 4 duel with John Michael Silvederio to complete Elman 1’s dominance over the 14th-ranked Nica Team Ilonggo.

NM Joey Florendo, Kritz Albelar, Patrick Erle Florendo and Alexander Clavite of Team Zamboanga swept their Team Kalipay rivals, 4-0, while Elman A banked on the wins of Raymond Salcedo in board 1 and Rommel Lucion in board 4 to nip Elman 2, 2.5-1.5.

A first loss pulled down sixth round co-leader Nica Team Ilonggo to fourth place at 11 points in the huge 74-team field lured by the P1.5-million purse put up by boxing superstar and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao.

Bunched at 10 points and still in the hunt for the top purse of P400,000 were Cafe Ligbeans B, Aqua Eternal of International Master Donald Dableo, Team Larry D of IM Barlo Nadera, San Isidro Makati Chess Club, Aqua Eternal Brilliancy, Tagaytay City Chess Team of Grandmaster Darwin Laylo, Team Kalipay and Bobby Pacquiao A.

With 9 points are Knighters Chess Team, LCA-Jolly Smile Dental Clinic, Elman 2 and Batucan and Friends.

Other seventh-round results saw Aqua Eternal whip LCA-Jolly Smile, 3-1; Francis Tolentino’s Tagaytay City pip Cafe Ligbeans A/Bohol, 2.5-1.5, Larry D clobber MJ Yabut Realty-Pan-CDO A, 3-1; San Isidro crush Pacman C, 3-1; Aqua Eternal Brilliancy subdue Gov. R. Del Rosario DavNor, 3-1; and Cafe Ligbeans B blank Elman B, 4-0.

The eighth round, which was being played at presstime, pits Elman 1 against Team Elman A at the top board, Team Zamboanga vs Nica Team Ilonggo, and Tagaytay City vs San Isidro Makati Chess Club.

The nine-round individual competition of the event organized by the MP Chess Players Organization headed by GM Eugene Torre will be held today with P50,000 as top purse.