NCAA Junior wars
1. Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL), 25.0/36
Bd01 Christian Mark Daluz 8.0/ 9, Bd02 Melito Ocsan, Jr. 7.0/ 9, Bd03 Manolo Angelo 2.0/4, Bd04 Eric Robert Yap 3.0/8, Bd05 Alexis Anne Osena 4.0/5, Bd06 Princess Balete 1.0/1. Team Captain: Alexis Anne Osena, Team Coach: NM Roland Joseph Perez.
2. San Beda College (SBC), 25.0/36
Bd01 Brent Lenard Alanan 3.5/ 9, Bd02 Gal Brien Palasigue 6.5/8, Bd03 John Phillip Oncita 7.0/9, Bd04 Alfredo Balquin Jr 5.0/ 6, Bd05 Johann Cedrick Gaddi 2.0/2, Bd06 Cyrus Vladimir Francisco 1.0/2. Team Captain: Brent Lenard Alanan, Head Coach: Ildefonso Datu, Asst. Coach: NM Alcon John Datu, Team Manager: Gen. Rodel Mauro Alarcon.
3. University of Perpetual Help System Dalta (UPHSD), 23.0/36
Bd01 Juan Samson Guillermo Cantela 1.5/4, Bd02 John Marx Anastacio 5.5/ 9, Bd03 Carl Zirex Sato 8.0/9, Bd04 Lou Anton Rivera 2.0/5, Bd05 Jerome Angelo Aragones 6.0/9. Team Captain: Christian Emmanuel Trinidad, Team Coach: IM Roel Abelgas, Asst. Coach: Kenneth Martin Rovillos, Team Manager: ALTAS
4. Arellano University ( AU), 23.0/36
Bd01 James Michael Erese 5.0/ 9, Bd02 King Alexander Reyes 3.0/ 7, Bd03 Carl Jaedrianne Ancheta 5.0/8, Bd04 Don Laurence Cerujano 6.0/ 7, Bd05 Jasper Faeldonia 3.5/4, Bd06 Jomarie Monteza 05/1. Team Captain: James Michael Erese, Head Coach: NM Rudy Ibañez, Asst. Coach: Juan Carlos Presente, Team Manager: Peter Cayco.
5. Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU), 20.5/36
Bd01 Earl Rhay Mantilla 4.0/8, Bd02 Joshov Alekhine Rosarda 6.0/9, Bd03 Jan Darryl Batula 7.5/9, Charles Vincent Galpo 1.0/6, Bd05 Geraldine Guyo 2.0/4. Team Captain: Joshov Alekhine Rosarda, Team Coach: Emerson Sayaman.
6. College of Saint Benilde-LSGH (CSB-LSGH), 17.5/36
Bd01 Julius Gonzales 8.0/ 9, Bd02 Timothy James dela Cruz 0/2, Bd03 Rafael Matthew Carino 0/6, Bd04 Francis Roi Parro 7.5/9, Bd05 James Elijah Gatchalian 1.5/76, Bd06 Reinz Patrick Narag 0.5/3. Team Captain: Julius Gonzales, Team Coach: Francisco Macawile Jr.
7. San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSC-R), 16.0/36
Bd03 Joshua Marquez 4.0/9, Bd04 Kenth Albert Cabiles 4.0/9, Bd05 Henry Li III 4.5/ 9, Bd06 Harold Thaddeus Cunanan 3.5/9. Team Captain: Harold Thaddeus Cunanan, Team Coach: NM Homer Cunanan.
8. Emilio Aguinaldo College-ICA (EAC-ICA), 12.5/36
Bd01 Nathaniel James Dacumos 0/ 5, Bd02 Reginald Ace Canlas 3.0/ 9, Bd03 Clark Jaeus Estrella 2.0/6, Bd04 Christian Mejos 4.5/8, Bd05 Jan Gabriel Perocho 1.5/2, Bd06 Cyril Szekiel Costes 1.5/6. Team Coach: Wilmar Contado.
9. Jose Rizal University (JRU), 10.0/36
Bd01 Jay Dominic Asuncion 0/5, Bd02 Jien Reyes 0/3, Bd03 Russel Verana 2.0/9, Bd04 Joemar Christian Rugay 4.5/ 9, Bd05 Lovely Anne Flores 0/3, Bd06 Kurt Jansen Dullon 3.5/7. Team Captain: Jien Reyes, Team Coach: Jeremy Jabson.
10. Mapua University- MHSS (MU-MHSS), 7.5/36
Bd01 John Paolo Medina 4.0/ 7, Bd02 Jedidia Diaz 1.5/ 8, Bd03 Immanuel delos Reyes 0/ 6, Bd04 Abraham Mendoza 1.0/ 8, Bd05 Sea Tan 0/3, Bd06 Ryan Albert Alaman 1.0/4. Team Captain: John Paolo Medina, Team Coach: Salvador Tardecilla, Asst. Coach: Israel Landicho, Team Managers: Engr. Resito David, Prof Melchor Pilones. Most Valuable Player: Christian
Mark Daluz CSJL Coach of the Year: NM Roland Joseph Perez CSJL
Individual Awards ( gold medalists):
Bd01 Julius Gonzales CSB- LSGH 8.0/9 Bd02 Gal Brien Palasigue SBC 6.5/8 Bd03 Carl Zirex Sato UPHSD 8.0/9 Bd04 Don Laurence Cerujano AU 6.0/7 Bd05 Jasper Faeldonia AU 3.5/4 Bd06 Kurt Jansen Dullon JRU 3.5/7
This year there was a change of format. Instead of the usual double round-robin tournament there was just a single round, after which we have the playoffs and finals. The no. 1 team faced no. 4 while no. 2 faced team no. 3 with the lower-placed team needing to beat the other team twice to proceed to the finals.
Playoffs:
CSJL vs AU, 3.5-0.5
UPHSD vs SBC, 2.0-2.0 UPHSD vs SBC, 3.0-1.0
Perpetual Help put in a great performance this year. Unheralded going into the tournament, they surprised everyone by finishing in third place in the tournament proper and qualifying for the second stage semifinals and finals.
In the semifinals, Perpetual Help defeated second seed San Beda twice, the first a 2-2 draw that was turned to a win because Perpetual Help had drawn on top board and won on board 2. Under the tie-break rules in case of a drawn match then whoever won on top board is adjudged the victor. In case of a tie, as was this case, then the result of board 2 will be used, and so on and so forth. Sato (UPHSD) defeated Palasigue (SBC) on Board 2 to get the win for the Las Piñasbased chessers.
Perpetual Help then beat the San Beda squad again 3-1 to complete the upset and forge a title duel with Letran.
[UPHSD] Sato,Carl Zirex - [SBC] Palasigue, Gal Brien [C42]
2017 NCAA Chess (JUNIORS) JPL Freedom Hall, LPU Manila ( 10.2), 10.09.2017
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6
Palasigue usually plays the French against 1.e4. By using the Petroff in this crucial round he is signifying that a draw is an acceptable result for him.
3.Bc4
A very tricky line.
3...Bc5?!
Surprised by White’s opening Black immediately errs. He should have played 3...Nxe4. I will show you some sample lines so that you will know what to do if someone tries this on you. 4.Nc3 and now:
4... Nf6 5. Nxe5 d5 6. Bb3 Be7 7. d4 0– 0 8. Bg5 c6 9. Qd3! Nfd7 10. h4!? f6? 11.Nxd5!! cxd5 12.Bxd5+ Kh8 13.Ng6+! hxg6 14.h5! (14.Qxg6?? Qa5+) 14...Qa5+ 15.c3 Qxd5 16.hxg6+ Kg8 17.Rh8+! Kxh8 18.Qh3+ Kg8 19.Qh7# 1–0 Benjamin,JCarter,G London Amateur Ch., 1975;
4... Nc5 5. Nxe5 f6 6. Qh5+ g6 7. Bf7+ Ke7 8. Nd5+ Kd6 9. Nc4+ Kc6 10. Nb4+ Kb5 11. a4+ Kxb4 12. c3+ Kb3 13. Qd1# 1– 0 ( 13) Taylor- N. N. London 1862;
4...Nxf2 5.Kxf2 Bc5+ 6.d4 exd4 7.Re1+ Kf8 8.Ne4 Bb6 9.Qd3 d5 10.Qa3+ Kg8 11.Bxd5 Qxd5 12.Nf6+ gxf6 13.Qf8+ Kxf8 14.Bh6+ Kg8 15.Re8# 1–0 (15) Richardson-Delmar New York 1887;
4... Nc6 since 5. Nxe4 is met by the fork 5...d5;
Best is 4... Nxc3 5. dxc3 f6 ( 5... d6? 6. Ng5 Be6 7. Bxe6 fxe6 8. Qf3 wins) 6.0– 0 Qe7! ( Stopping White’s threat of 7 Nxe5 fxe5 8 Qh5+) (6... c6? 7. Nxe5! d5 8. Qh5+ g6 ( 8... Ke7 9. Re1! Be6 10. Bd3+–) 9. Nxg6 hxg6 10. Qxh8 dxc4 11. Bh6 Qe7 12. Bxf8 1– 0 Axelsson, G ( 1743)- De Visser, A ( 1814) Haarlem 2002) 7. Nh4 g6 8. Kh1 d6 and Black has an extra pawn out of the opening: Moody, D- Ippolito, D USA Open 1994 0–1 17.
4.Nxe5 0–0 5.0–0
Why not 5.d4 Be7 6.Nc3 with a pawn to the good and a much better position?
5...Nxe4?
This was exactly what White was counting on.
6.Nxf7! <D>
Position after 6.Nxf7 6...Qh4 [6... Rxf7 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7 8. Qh5+ Kg8 9.Qd5+ Kh8 10.d4 Nf6 11.Qxc5 White has a decisive advantage]
7. d4 Nxf2 8. Qf3 Qxd4 9. Nd6+ Qxc4 10. Qxf8+ Kxf8 11. Nxc4 Kg8 12.Rxf2 Bxf2+ 13.Kxf2
The complications are over and White is a piece ahead. There are no further surprises.
13... b5 14. Ne5 d6 15. Nf3 Bb7 16. Be3 Nd7 17. Nc3 a6 18. Rd1 Rf8 19.Nd5 Ne5 20.Kg3 Nc4 21.Bc1 Re8 22.b3 Na5 23.Nxc7 Rc8 24.Bd2 Nxb3 25. cxb3 Rxc7 26. Rc1 Re7 27. Re1 Rxe1 28.Bxe1 Kf7 29.Kf4 h6 30.h4 g6 31.g4 Bd5 32.Bb4 Ke7 33.Nd4 Bf7 34.Bd2 Bd5 35.h5 gxh5 36.gxh5 Bf7 37. Kg4 Kf6 38. Bxh6 Ke5 39. Bg7+ Ke4 40.Kg5 Bg8 41.Kg6 Kd3 42.h6 Kc3 43.Nf5+ Kb4 44.Ne7 1–0 Finals: CSJL vs UPHSD, 3.5-0.5 The Squires, mentored by National Master Roland Joseph Perez, were just too much for the Roel Abelgas-trained Junior Altas.
[ UPHSD] Rivera, Lou Anton - [CSJL] Yap,Eric Robert [B84]
2017 NCAA Chess (JUNIORS) FINALS JPL Freedom Hall, LPU Manila (12.1), 17.09.2017
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be3 a6 7.Be2 b5 8.Bf3 e5 9.Nf5 d5 10.Bg5 d4
Taking off the black knight with 10... Bxf5 is not recommended as Black’s position is too loose to make his pawn center count. Witness: 11.exf5 e4 12.Nxd5 Qxd5 13. Qxd5 Nxd5 14. Bxe4 Bb4+ 15.c3 Nxc3 16.Bxa8 Ne4+ 17.Kf1 Nxg5 18. h4 leaves White the exchange up. Frolyanov,D (2576)-Nagimov,A (2322) Nabereznye Chelny 2010 1–0 21.
11.Nd5 Qa5+ 12.b4!
The point of this move is to weaken Black’s g7 square.
12... Bxb4+ 13. Nxb4 Qxb4+ 14.Bd2?
More accurate is 14.c3 Qxc3+ (14... dxc3? 15.Nxg7+ Ke7 16.0–0 the Black king in the center will not survive) 15.Bd2 and now the g7–square cannot be defended. 15... Qa3 16. Nxg7+ Kd7 17.Nh5 White is playing for a win.
14...Qf8 15.Nxd4 Qd6
[15...exd4 16.e5]
16.Nb3 0–0 17.0–0 Nc6
Black has survived the opening and now proceeds to outplay his opponent.
18.Bc3 Qe7 19.Na5 Nxa5 20.Bxa5 Bb7 21.Qe2 Qa3 22.Bd2 Qa4 23.Rfe1 Rac8 24. Bg5 Rxc2 25. Qd3 Qc4 26. Qe3 Qc5 27. Bd1 Qxe3 28. Bxe3 Rc3 29. f3 Rd8 30. Bb3 Rd6 31. Bc1 Nd7 32. Ba3 Rdd3 33. Rac1 a5 34. Rxc3 Rxc3 35. Rd1 Bc6 36. Bb2 Rc5 37.Rc1 Rxc1+ 38.Bxc1 a4 39.Bc2 Nb6 40.Bd2 f6 41.Kf2 Kf7 42.Bb4 Ke6 43.a3 Nd7 44.Bb1 Kf7 45.Ba2+ Ke8 46. Bg8 h6 47. h4 Nb8 48. Ke2 Bd7 49. Kd3 Nc6 50. Bd6 Nd4 51.Bh7 Kf7 52.h5 Be6 53.Bg6+ Kg8 54.Bc5 Bc4+ 55.Kc3 Ne6 56.Be3 Bf1 57. Bf5 Kf7 58. g3 Be2 59. Bg4 Ng5 60.Bxg5 fxg5 61.Kb4 g6 62.Kc5 gxh5 63. Bxh5+ Kf6 64. Kb4 Ke7 65. Kc5 Ke6 66. Bg4+ Kf6 67. Bd7 Bxf3 68.Bxb5 Bxe4 69.Bxa4 h5 0–1
The Perpetual Help Altas have been perennial cellar-dwellers in the NCAA chess tournaments. From what I see of this year’s team they are on the right track to contend for first honors. We will follow them with great interest.