UST sets pace in UAAP high school chess, NU-Nazareth stuns FEU-Diliman

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 88 High School Chess Standings

Boys' Match Pts (Board Pts)
UST 2.0 (3.0)
ADU 2.0 (3.0)
Ateneo 0.0 (1.0)
DLSZ 0.0 (1.0)
FEU-D 0.0 (0.0)

Girls' Match Pts (Board Pts)
UST 2.0 (4.0)
ADU 2.0 (3.0)
NUNS 2.0 (2.5)
FEU-D 0.0 (1.5)
Ateneo 0.0 (1.0)
DLSZ 0.0 (0.0)

Ties on Saturday at Adamson gym

Boys

1 p.m. - Ateneo vs DLSU (boys)
1 p.m. - FEU vs UST (boys)

Girls

1 p.m. - DLSU vs Ateneo (girls)
1 p.m. - FEU vs UST (girls)
1 p.m. - ADU vs NU (girls)

University of Santo Tomas emerged as the opening day leaders after a near-sweep of its matches in the boys’ and girls’ divisions to kick off the UAAP Season 88 High School Chess Championship at the Adamson Gym on Sunday.

The Junior Lady Woodpushers opened the season in perfect form, scoring a 4-0 shutout over De La Salle Zobel, while the Junior Male Woodpushers posted a 3-1 walloping of Ateneo High School.

UST began its campaign in the boys’ division with Jude Dableo (1/1) and Sumer Oncita (1/1) earning decisive wins over Jose Pio Caro (0/1) and Aidan Mejia (0/1), as Arena International Master Gabriel Paradero won by default on the top board.

In the girls’ division, Trina Temple (1/1), Angel Po (1/1), Kara Meneses (1/1), and Mecel Gadut (1/1) all scored victories against Francesca Icay (0/1), Jeslyn Santos (0/1), Alexa Enas (0/1), and Xephi Holgado (0/1), respectively, underscoring UST’s dominance.

However, National University Nazareth School stole the spotlight with a thrilling 2.5-1.5 upset of defending champion Far Eastern University, highlighted by Sara Dalagan’s (1/1) 53-move conquest of national team mainstay and Woman FIDE Master Ruelle Canino (0/1) on the top board.

Dalagan’s tactical brilliance was on full display as she punished Canino’s 14th-move blunder with a knight sacrifice, gaining a pawn and creating an unstoppable passed pawn en route to a convincing victory.

"Record po samin yung manalo ngayon kasi team effort eh. Ang tagal naming nagprepare para dito. Yung mga bata ang laking oras yung sinakripisyo eh," said NUNS coach and FIDE Master Roel Abelgas of his team’s monumental victory over FEU, who completed an undefeated championship run last season.

"FEU kasi sila yung strongest team ngayon diyan sa high school eh. Ngayon, natalo namin sila. Tingin ko may chance na kami (na magchampion) pero depende pa rin kung ano yung mangyayari sa mga next matches," he added.

Arena FIDE Master Ryien Bahita (1/1) also notched a win over Franiel Magpily (0/1), while Kayla Aurelio (0.5/1) split the point with FEU’s Ericka Oridizo (0.5/1) to close out NU’s triumphant debut.

Adamson University also registered a win with a 3-1 victory over the debuting Ateneo High School girls’ team. The Sampaloc-based squad repeated the feat in the boys’ division, with Jonver Acosta (1/1), Jian Bautista (1/1), and Ashton Karl Fatkin (1/1) securing victories over De La Salle Zobel’s Santino Edralin (0/1), Gian Caguiat (0/1), and Kevin Dominguez (0/1), respectively.

National Master Tyrhone Tabernilla (1/1) was the lone bright spot for La Salle, bagging a win against Bryce Bayani (0/1).

Defending boys’ division champion FEU sat out with a bye on opening day.