Manila execs win

By Frank "Boy" Pestaño
Chessmoso

THE triangular match between Manila, Misamis and host Cebu at the Handuraw Learning and Leisure Café in Mabolo turned out to be a rout, as Manila was clearly the dominant team. After a double round-robin active format, Manila scored a massive 42 points, Misamis had 26 and Cebu was the tail-ender with only 22.

Cagayan de Oro’s Arnel Aton, who reinforced the Manila team, scored a perfect six points on board 8. Another perfect scorer was Dr. Jenny Mayor of the Manila Executives on board 2. Manila was balanced as its lower boards were just as strong as the upper boards. They were also at ease with the time control of 25 minutes. I noticed throughout the tournament that Misamis and Cebu were always in time trouble.

Misamis and Cebu were equally competitive with each other as the score was a close, 15.5-14.5, in favor of Misamis. Playing equally well for Misamis were Quirino Sagario and Leonides Fernandez. Jobannie Tabada, Dante Arguelles, Mandy Baria and Joe Atillo of the Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association (Cepca), on the other hand, held their ground.

The atmosphere was friendly and cordial throughout the tournament. The Misamis and Manila delegation headed by chess-playing doctors Reynaldo Feliciano and Jenny Mayor were perfect gentlemen. We had no problems with all the players.

Despite the lopsided result, the tournament was clearly a success. Rey Urbiztondo and Jenny Mayor as well as Cepca president Jun Olis and I agreed to make this tournament a yearly affair during the Sinulog and participated by other cities such as Davao, Tagbilaran, Bacolod, Iloilo among others.

Sponsors of the match were Boojie Lim of Rose Pharmacy, all participating Cepca players especially Bombi Aznar, Felix Balbona, Mandy Baria and Rene Casia, Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Salve, Noel and Marites Fernandez, Purefoods Hormel and the Cebu City Government thru City Councilor Gabby Leyson and Mayor Tommy Osmeña.

SIDE EVENTS. The side events brought in more chess and a magical performance by James Infiesto of Davao.

An open rapid-chess event was held on Friday afternoon with minor appliances as prizes. The champion was National Master Ernesto Fernandez of Pagadian followed by Dante Zuniga of Manila, Leonardo Deza, NM Elwin Retanal of Cebu, Francis Cabe of Manila and Joel Fernan of Bohol, respectively.

Another side event was the Rose Pharmacy Blitz Chess Open on Monday also held at Handuraw, dangling a total prize money of P18,000. Chris Castellano of Manila blasted the competition, while Glenn Pardillo of Bohol was second. The rest of the top 10 were Tabada, Leonardo Deza and Ernesto Fernandez, Mayor, Irwin Ababat, William Retanal, Jimson Bitoon and Boy Abugho, in that order.

Still another side event was also held. This time the Misamis and Cebu players were the clear winners over Manila in the karaoke contest.

The tournament arbiter for the triangular match and the side events was NM Lincoln Yap assisted by Marvin Ruelan.

MAGIC. Truly a shining moment and a complete surprise was the performance by magician James Infiesto, who regaled the participants with first-class magic.

James is the creative director of Bonjee Entertainment Services, a Davao-based value oriented company, which performs in kids and adult parties, family days, Christmas parties and special events such as product launchings and corporate events.

He is a member of International Brotherhood of Magicians and has performed all over the country.

For details, he may be contacted at (082) 297-6776 or 0917-704-2198.

EAT BOBBY FISCHER. Since his arrest at the Narita Airport due to an invalid passport, Bobby has now been in detention for six months. His crime? For playing chess!

To recall, Bobby played a chess match with Boris Spassky in Yugoslavia, which was then under sanctions by the United Nations due to its war in Bosnia. Violating the sanction even in the form of a chess match carried a penalty of 10 years in prison or a fine of $250,000 or both.

It has also been a month since he was granted a residence visa by Iceland and still both the Japanese and US governments have not responded. He is now reportedly suffering dizzy spells and is physically exhausted. How much more can the 61-year-old greatest chess player of all time take?

When a Fischer associate asked a high-ranking Japanese official how long they intend to hold him, he replied, “We can keep him for as long as we like. We can eat him if we choose to.”