Standard chess tournament: Garcia, Galas, Balbona, Lim share top honors in POC-PSC Philippine National Games

by Marlon Bernardino

Final Standings of the Standard chess event:

(Open Division for Mens)

Gold---IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia (Manila)

Silver---GM Mark Paragua (Quezon City)

Bronze---FM Haridas Pascua (Mangatarem, Pangasinan)

(Open Division for Womens)

Gold---WIM Bernadette Galas (Makati)

Silver---WFM Rulp Ylem Jose (Taguig)

Bronze---WNM Jedara Docena (Bohol)

(Junior Division for Boys)

Gold---Felix Shaun Balbona (Cebu)

Silver---Christian Nanola (San Pablo, Laguna)

Bronze---Jaymarc Gutierrez (Manila)

(Junior Division for Girls)

Gold---Adelaide Joie Lim (Bacolod City)

Silver---Jean Karen Enriquez (Marikina)

Bronze---Michelle Yaon (Calamba, Laguna)

Manila---International Master (IM) Jan Emmanuel Garcia of Manila, Woman International Master (WIM) Bernadette Galas of Makati, Felix Shaun Balbona of Cebu and Adelaide Joie Lim of Bacolod City bested their respective rivals to top Open Division for Mens, Open Division for Womens, Junior Division for Boys and Junior Division for Girls, respectively in the just ended 2013 POC-PSC Philippine National Games Standard chess competition held at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Tahanan ng Alumni Building in Sta. Mesa, Manila on Saturday.

The top player of Ateneo de Manila University Garcia, playing under the banner of Manila Mayor-elect Joseph "Erap" Estrada and Vice Mayor Isko Moreno tallied six points in seven outings to went home the gold medal.

Grandmaster (GM) Mark Paragua of Quezon City took the silver medal for having superior tie-break score against fellow 5.5 pointers bronze medallist Fide Master (FM) Haridas Pascua of Mangatarem, Pangasinan and fourth placer Philippine Airforce mainstay IM Barlo Nadera of Malabon.

In the Open Division for Womens, Woman International Master (WIM) Bernadette Galas of Makati edged fellow 5.5 pointers Woman Fide Master (WFM) Rulp Ylem Jose of Taguig in a tie-break points to enroute the coveted gold medal. Woman National Master (WNM) Jedara Docena (Bohol) scored 5.0 points for bronze medal.

Other notable winners were Felix Shaun Balbona of Cebu (Gold), Christian Nanola of San Pablo, Laguna (Silver) and Jaymarc Gutierrez of Manila (Bronze) in the Junior Division for Boys; Adelaide Joie Lim of Bacolod City (Gold), Jean Karen Enriquez of Marikina City (Silver) and Michelle Yaon of Calamba, Laguna (Bronze) in the Junior Division for Girls.

No less than Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Salvador "Buddy" Andrada, National Sports Associations Affairs (NSA) Section Head Judith Laygo, NCFP Deputy-Secretary General Red Dumuk, NCFP Executive Director GM Jayson Gonzales, National Coach NM Edmundo Gatus, International Arbiter Elias Lao and International Arbiter Gene Poliarco led the closing rites.