Pestaño: Cepca faces the best women’s collegiate players

Frank "Boy" Pestaño

 Thursday, November 13, 2014

THE Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association (Cepca) will have its much anticipated goodwill match against some lady varsity players of Cebu this Sunday at Handuraw Gororodo at 2 p.m.

THE Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association (Cepca) will have its much anticipated goodwill match against some lady varsity players of Cebu this Sunday at Handuraw Gororodo at 2 p.m.

It will be a 19-board match with players playing two games against the same opponent handling black and white. Time control is 30 minutes for each player, play to finish.

The lineup for Cepca are Former Cebu City Mayor Alvin Garcia, Boojie Lim, Andrew Aznar, Ben Dimaano, club president Jerryboy Maratas, Marvyne Guardiana, Jojo Muralla, Ruel Hortelano, Alex Tolentino, Jennoh Tequillo, Jun Olis, Nic-nic Climaco, Eduard dela Torre, Therese dela Torre, Jun Kidlat, Tony Barade, Felix Balbona, John Velarde, Boy Pestaño.

The Cebu Lady Varsity Selection coaches have chosen the following players for their team--Jessa Balbona, Aireen Robillos, Shaira Monsalud, Queenelyn Torres, Kylene Eumague, Marvie Abucay, Venice Lumapac, Queenie Cablao, Diana Ross Pabatang, Jazeele Villarin, Stephanie Sabanal, Sarah Jane Dabalos, KC Morala, Jane Mae Conag, Laila Nadera, Ziella Aroja, Charah Cababan, Rowena Padro, Glysen Derotas.

To make the match competitive, the Class A players of Cepca will not be playing. However, the club will also tangle with the male varsity players selection in a future date and these Class A players will be fielded .

The lady players will receive roses and chocolates from their opponents for this match.

After the match, there will be a five-round Swiss tournament featuring all the players with cash prizes to the top four players. Time control is 10 minutes per player.
Dinner will then be served with lechon.

Sponsors of this unique event are honorary member Boojie Lim of Rose Phamacy, Jerry Maratas, Marvynne Guadiana, Ben Dimaano, honorary member Andrew Aznar of SWU, Jojo Muralla, Jun Kidlat and lawyer Jennoh Tequillo.

I am especially pleased with this event as my Cepca co-founder and former president lawyer Alex Tolentino will be playing.

Here is a brief summary of Cepca. It was founded in 1990 and is one of the oldest chess club in the Philippines and the oldest in Cebu. Founders were myself , Alex Tolentino and the late Art Ynclino. The other original members are Bombi Aznar, Danny Pestaño, Gerry Tomakin, Sonny Sollano, Loy Miñoza all of whom have passed away and the Benjamin of the group Nicnic Climaco.

It is registered with the Securities and Exchange Comission and has more than a 100 members. The other honorary members are Kelly Uy, Doctor Darcy Tabotabo (US-based) and Mayor Mike Rama.

Mayor Mike would have played but he has to go to Manila for some commitments. If you go to his office, he has a unique chess set displayed which is quite rare, a collector`s item.

Wesley So. Wesley’s transfer to the USCF is now official. With this transfer, the USCF is now ranked No. 4 from No. 9 in Fide’s top countries list and the Philippines dropped to No. 43 from No. 32.

This will make the Americans very competitive in the Olympiad. In the next few years, three Americans will get chances to be challengers in the world championship. Fabiano Caruana, the No. 2 player in the world, has dual Italian and American citizenship.

Hikaru Nakamura and Wesley So are both in the top 10.

The Philippines, once ranked as a major chess power (we placed eighth in the Greece Olympiad in 1988), is in a serious decline. The average age of our GMs is bordering 40 and the players have no signs of improving.

There has to be a revamp in the current leadership and Chess in Schools shouled implemented like what is being done in more than 30 countries worldwide.