MANILA – The Visayas-Mindanao (Vis-Min) team resoundingly defeated the Luzon-National Capital Region (NCR) squad in the 1st Helping Hand Executive Online Chess Challenge held on Lichess, an open-source internet chess server.
Vis-Min drew first blood, 190-174, before completing a two-game romp, 287-244, during the two-day fund raising event organized by the Philippine Executive Chess Association.
During the first round of the battle, however, Leonard Raymond Reyes of Luzon-NCR took the top honor by dropping 20 points.
In round two, Jezreel Lopez of Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur emerged as the leading scorer for Vis-Min with 28 points, followed by Eduard Sumergido of Isabela, Basilan with 24 and Jose Barba, Jr. with 21.
Ariel Nino Aton is at fifth place with 18 points, NM Jonathan Tan landed at seventh place with 17 and NCFP executive director Atty. Cliburn Anthony Orbe is at ninth place with 16 for Vis-Min.
For team Luzon-NCR, on the other hand, Mark Anthony Yabut of Pampanga was the top scorer with 20 points (fourth place), followed by Engr. Roberto Arellano with 18 marks (sixth place), Dandel Fernandez with 17 points, (eight place), and Emmanuel Asi with 16.
Senator Manny Pacquiao suited up for the Vis-Min team, while senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III backed out playing for Luzon-NCR due to a prior commitment.
The event was a huge success. One-hundred chess-playing executives – 50 from Visayas and Mindanao and 50 from Luzon and NCR – took part for the benefit of the less fortunate chess players in the country affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic./PN
