ILOILO City – Fritz Bryan Porras of Guimaras took home a gold medal during the 1st Bantayan Sports Festival 2022 Open Chess Tournament held recently.
Porras, a member of Iloilo Kisela Knights in the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines, bested 39 other woodpushers to rule the Rapid Chess Open category with 5.5 points.
Kisela Knights teammate Cesar Mariano of Iloilo City finished at second with five points while Bacolodnon Ellan Asuela of Negros Kingsmen is at third also with five points.
For ruling the category, Porras took home the top cash prize of P6,000 along with a trophy, while Mariano and Asuela had P4,000 and P2,000, respectively.
Porras triumph in the tournament organized by Guimbal Local Government United and AAMBIS OWA Partylist came on the heels of his two gold medals during the Pintados de Passi tournament last month.
Jericho Mabuyao of Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, meanwhile, topped the 18 and Under Rapid Category, while Fern Albert Falle of San Enrique and Andrie Iory Salvador Alimodian finished runner ups.
Mabuyao, Falle and Salvador actually all ended with five points but it was the Barotacnon woodpusher who was hailed as champion in the category participated by 26 players due to higher tiebreak.
Mabuyao thus captured the top prize of P3,000, while Falle and Salvador settled for runner up cash prizes of P2,000 and P1,000, respectively.
In the 12 and under Rapid category, Mark Alfonzo Azaola of Roxas City, Capiz clinched the gold while Andrea Balbontin of Barotac Viejo, Iloilo and Shan Lester Jamerlan of Pavia, Iloilo settled for silver and bronze, respectively.
Azaola bagged the gold and P3,000 after finishing with 5.5 points, while Balbontin and Jamerlan had 5 points and P2,000 and 4.5 points and P1,000, respectively.
Michael Falcis of Roxas City (Open) and Thea Grace Clar and Mica Claire Clar of Jaro, Iloilo City (12 and Under) were hailed as Youngest top performer, while Rosendo Reyes of Iloilo City (Open) and Kimberly Colaste of Guimaras (18-and-Under) were top senior and top female chessers, respectively./PN
