De Leon, Osena rule Shell kiddies chess in Batangas

MANILA, Philippines - Ateneo’s Haince Patrick de Leon and Alexis Anne Osena of Letran sustained their fine start to rule their respective classes in the kiddies division of the 21st Shell National Youth Active Chess Championships Southern Luzon leg at SM Batangas Event Center in Batangas last Sunday.

 De Leon, who seized control early with a sweep of his first five games Saturday, bowed to Stephen Pangilinan at resumption but struck back with victories over Kinsley Salva Cruz and Jhoemar Mendiogarin before humbling top seed Jayson Danday of NU in the final round to complete the victory in the boys’ side with eight points.

 Pangilinan took the lead with a win over De Leon, top seed Jayson Danday and Emmanuel Paler but missed winning the crown when he fell to Mendiogarin in the final round. He settled for second with 7.5 points and will join De Leon in the national finals slated Sept. 14-15 at SM Megamall.

 Mendiogarin wound up with seven points and shared third place with Robin Ignacio, Dale Bernardo, Dary Bernardo and Paler.

 Osena, on the other hand, stamped her class in the girls’ 14-and-under category of the country’s longest running chess circuit sponsored by Pilipinas Shell, beating Charlotte Paez, Francell Javier and Natalie Abuzo to sweep the seven-round tournament.

 She finished 1.5 points ahead of Francois Magpily, Rheam De Guzman and Javier, who all had 5.5 points.

 On hand during the awards rites of the event, sanctioned by the NCFP and backed by Shell FuelSave Unleaded and Diesel, Shell Fuel Oils, Shell V Power Nitro and Shell Rimula, as well as by Unilever and SM Supermalls, was Joan Kho, Pilipinas Shell Tabangao Health Safety Security Environment manager.

 Osena thus clinched the lone berth in the girls’ category in the national finals, which features the other winners of the other regional elims. 

Meanwhile, the third leg (Visayas elims) of the series will be held July 13-14 at SM Cebu Event Center. For details, contact tournament director Alex Dinoy at 0922 8288510 or Odilon Badilles at 0906 8964698.