Bersamina, Mendoza at cusp of clinching ASEAN+ titles

Butch Pichay of the NCFP

International Master Paulo Bersamina and Woman FIDE Master Shania Mae Mendoza secured contrasting results as they close in on their respective Under-20 division titles after the eighth round of play in the ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships at the Royal Mandaya Hotel in Davao City yesterday.

Bersamina defeated Sarri Subahani to net his seventh point, one ahead of FIDE Master Azarya Jodi Setyaki of Indonesia.  He will need at least a draw against top seed IM John Marvin Miciano to clinch the title.

Setyaki drew with 14-year old prodigy Daniel Quizon in this round.

Mendoza drew with Marife dela Torre to hike her total to 6.5 points, which half-a-point ahead of hometown native Ella Grace Moulic, who beat Zsuzsa Grace Tabudlong to secure her sixth point. She will need to beat Laila Camel Nadera in the final round to clinch her division.

In the other divisions, Dale Bernardo beat Ernesto Canete to retain the Under-18 division lead at 7.5 points, half-a-point ahead of John Merill Jacutina, who beat Carl Zirex Sato.

As for the Under-16 category, Ronald Canino moved ahead of FM Alekhine Nouri with six points after the former defeated Vietnamese FIDE Master Pham Phu Vinh and the latter losing to Christin Marcelo Olaybal.

In the girls' Under-12 Antonella Berthe Racasa joined four other players for the lead at 5.5 points by stunning Bui Ngoc Phuong Ngi of Vietnam.

In addition, Ruelle Canino and Al-Basher Buto kept their division lead amidst suffering losses to compatriot Kaye Lalaine Regidor and Nguyen Khanh Lam of Vietnam, respectively. The former at 6.5 points still has a half-a-point lead over Regidor in the girls' Under-10 division, while the latter shares the lead alongside Vietnamese pawn pusher Nguyen Vuong Tung Lam, who beat Nambiar Aaray of India to move atop the Under-8 division.

The tournament is organized by Chess Events International and sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines. It is bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission and backed by the Davao City local government.

Meanwhile, yesterday also saw the election of NCFP president Butch Pichay as the new ASEAN Chess Federation president, with Filipino Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales being selected as one of the three vice presidents.

Pichay would then take the opportunity to secure support from all ten member nations to support current FIDE secretary-general Bambol Tolentino's re-election bid.