XAVIER SCHOOL IS ISSA CHESS CHAMP

THE Xavier School Varsity Chess Team emerged as champions in the grade school and high school divisions of the inaugural Inter Schools Sports Association (ISSA) Chess Team Tournament held last December 8, 2007 at the Fr. Cortina Sports Center in Xavier School in San Juan, MM.

For less than a year, the high school chess team of Xavier School was transformed into a competitive unit under the guidance of chess coach Erwin Carag. Carag is an outstanding national master (nm) and an international arbiter (IA) as well. To show the team's strength, Xavier School (XS) Team A topped the high school division competition with an unblemished total of 12 game points. Landing in second place is Xavier School Team B, followed by Colegio de San Agustin (CSA) in third place, and International School of Manila (ISM) in distant fourth place. The rules of the league allow each member schools to field at most 2 teams both in the high school and grade school categories.

Xavier School Team A – HS is composed of team captain Trevor Chan in board one, Jeffrey Go, Anderson Ongsyping, Marvin Yee and Marc Sy. Individual gold medals went to Mervin Ledesma of Xavier School Team B and Marc Ancanan of CSA in board one, Jeffrey Go – board 2, Anderson Ongsyping – board 3, Marvin Yee – board 4 and Marc Sy – XS Team A and Martey Haw – XS Team B, all from Xavier School.


In the grade school division, Xavier School Team A – GS topped the field, followed closely by International School of Manila (ISM) Team A – 2ND , CSA – 3RD , ISM Team B – 4TH. The grade school chessplayers of Xavier School is handled by seasoned coach International Arbiter (IA) Rolly Yutuc.


The Xavier School Athletics and Physical Education (APEX) Department headed by Mr. Larry De Las Peñas and assistant sports coordinator Mr. John Sy lauded the boys for a job well done. The chess training started last summer with the jumpstart comprehensive computer chess seminar offered by Mr. Bobby Ang, Xavier School's outstanding chess alumnus. John Sy announced that Xavier School is organizing the 4TH Xavier Interscholastic Chess Invitational to be held on January 19 and 26, 2008 at the Fr. Cortina Sport Center Function Room. The individual tourney is open to all bonafide grade school and high school students throughout the country. Other plans in Xavier include organizing an age-group type of chess competition this April 2008.

Report from MARLON BERNARDINO