Roxas-Palawan, La Salle share lead in inter-cities chessfest

Roxas-Palawan and La Salle-Manila came through with similar smashing performances to share the lead in the 2010 National Inter-Cities and Municipalities rapid chess team championship at the People’s Astrodome in Dagupan City. Bannered by International Master Chito Garma and Ryan Dungca, Roxas-Palawan whipped Apocalypse-Manila, 3.5-.5, in the fifth round, and Ricnor Farms-Palayan City, 2.5-1.5, in the sixth round. The two victories hiked Roxas-Palawan’s output to 11 points on five wins and six draws in this 43-team tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Pihlippines (NCFP) in cooperation with the Dagupan City government. Garma, one of the country’s strongest IMs, outclassed fellow IM Rolando Nolte of Apocalypse-Manila. Garma drew with Rhobel Legaspi of Ricnor-Palayan in the other game. Dungca won over Albert Rivera of Apocalypse-Manila and Gary Legaspi of Ricnor-Palayan. La Salle-Manila forged a tie for the lead with Roxas-Palawan with victories over top seed Calamba-GPTex Global A, 3-1, and second seed MMDA-Makati, 3-1. Rolando Andador carried the fight for La Salle-Manila, beating National Master Manny Senador of Calamba in the fifth round. Andador battled highly-fancied grandmaster Wesley So of MMDA-Makati in the sixth round in a display of solid woodpushing for La Salle-Manila. So, the most popular player here in the country’s ‘Bangus capital’, humbled David Elorta to lead MMDA-Makati to a 2.5-1.5 victory over Don Galo-Parañaque City in the fifth round. But So’s teammates, Efren Arguelles and Adrian Perez, bowed to Joel Legaspi and Jimson Bitoon on boards two and three, respectively. Narciso Gumila provided the other half-point for MMDA-Makati with a draw with Narquingel Reyes on board four. The loss dropped MMDA-Makati to a four-way tie for third to sixth places with Antipolo City, Calamba-GPTex Global A and Calamba-GPTex Global B with nine points apiece. - KY, RCJ, GMANews.TV