CEBU, Philippines - Jimmy Ty, Jr. kept his hot streak after being crowned as grand champion of the annual Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association, topping the January edition of the CEPCA monthly tournament last Sunday at Handuraw Pizza along Gorordo Avenue, this city.
Ty, a native of the Yolanda-ravaged Tacloban City but is now based in Cebu, completed the five-round Swiss system competition with the highest score of 4.5 points. He subdued Manny Manzanares, Jun Kidlat, Jerry Maratas and Peterson Sia, before fighting toa draw with Romy Pialan in the final round.
Ty, thus, booked the first ticket to the December grand finals that also gave him a chance to defend his title.
Manzanares took the second place honors with 4.0 points.
Kidlat, Maratas and Sia figured in a three-way tie with identical 3.0 points, but Kidlat snared the third place by virtue of a higher tie-break output. Maratas, the current CEPCA president, wound up fourth followed by Sia. (FREEMAN)