Cajeras tops blitz tilt

Final Standings:

11.0 points—Cajeras; 10.5— Laylo, Elorta, Dableo; 10.0—Salcedo Ra; 9.5—Pascua, Salcedo Ri., Yap; 9.0–Magdalaga, Antonio, Ganzon, Lluch, Asuela, Roque M., Dimakiling, Salubre Ocido, Rancap, Nolte, Garcimo; 9.0—Severino, Makinano, Bitoon, Verdun, Pimentel, Barzuela, Mariano, Montoya, Pasco, Ruaya, Balquin.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Unheralded Jerich Cajeras upstaged the titled players to rule the blitz competition of the Bobby D. Pacquiao Random Chess Tournament at SM City Trade Hall 2 here.

Belying his No. 51 seeding, Cajeras subdued National Master David Elorta in the 11th round, yielded to International Master Ronald Dableo in the 12th then repulsed Grandmaster Rogelio Antonio Jr. in the 13th and final round to clinch the top purse of P20,000.

The 22-year-old Cajeras, a native of Bacolod and a fresh computer application graduate of College of St. Benilde, amassed a total of 11.0 points, his other loss coming at the hands of GM Darwin Laylo in the third round.

Laylo, who earlier powered Elegant Houses in Pampanga to the team title, eventually placed second with 10.5 points, edging Elorta and Dableo in the tiebreak.

National Master Raymond Saldeo wound up fifth with 10.0 points, edging IMs Richilieu Salcedo, Kim Steven Yap and Haridas Pascua, who landed sixth to eighth with 9.5 each.

In a must-win situation, Antonio sacrificed a piece to gain positional edge, but Cajeras defended well, relegating the many time Olympian to 14th place with 9.0 points.

Other 9.0 pointers were Ronald Ganzon (10th), Luffe Magdalaga (11th), NM Merben Roque (11th), Ellan Asuela (12th), Fide Master Victor Lluch (13th) IM Oliver Dimakiling (15th), Kelly Rancap (16th), Jason Salubre (17th), IM Rolando Nolte (18th), Michael Ocido (19th) and Raffy Garcimo (20th).

The weeklong tournament, which also featured the rapid individual competition won by IM Joel Pimentel at the expense of Antonio, staked a total of P2 million in prizes bankrolled by Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao.

“I think it went well and was very successful. We had 64 teams in the team tournament and a total of 239 participants in the rapid tournament. There are also many entries in the blitz event,” said Asia’s first GM and event organizer Eugene Torre.