DEJAYCO WINS NCR CHESS ELIMS FOR WORLD CHESS OLYMPIAD

After a long while, we've got something from NM Marlon Bernardino:

DEJAYCO WINS NCR CHESS ELIMS FOR WORLD CHESS OLYMPIAD

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

AFTER A LONG HIATUS, come backing Christopher Dejayco of Las Pinas City scored 1.5 points in the last two rounds to topped the National Chess Federation of the Philippines-National Capital Region qualifying round for this year's World Chess Olympiad held yesterday (Sunday) at the Kaban ng Hiyas Building in Mandaluyong City.

Dejayco, whose stint here is supported by sportsman Dennis Custodio and Almanza Chess Club of Las Pinas City defeated Christian Arroyo of Cagayan de Oro City in the penultimate round after 35 moves of a Slav Defense then split the point with Edmundo Gatus of Tondo, Manila in the seventh and final round after 21 moves of a French Defense to finish undefeated with six wins and a draw to raise his total 6.5 points after seven games of play enroute the coveted chess title plus the top purse P7,000.

" Matagal na akong hindi naglalaro ng chess, 'yung sa inter barangay lamang ako naglalaro at pag may time practice lamang sa mga kaibigan natin , pwede pa pala tayo, " said Dejayco, a former mainstay of University of Perpetual Help Data System who is busy operating his business---a Gym and Internet Café in Las Pinas City.

Dejayco and Gatus (6.0 points) along with other top 30 NCR qualifiers advance in the semi-final round together with five players from the regional elimination round qualifiers and national masters.

The top five finishers in the Grand Finale will determine the country's representative in this year's World Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany later this year in this event which is supported by NCFP president Prospero Pichay Jr., NCFP secretary-general Abraham Tolentino Jr. and hosted by Mandaluyong City mayor Benhur Abalos Jr.

Joining them in the semi-finals set on June were Arroyo, Raymond Salcedo, Carlo Magno Rosaupan, Noel dela Cruz, Christopher Castellano, Ali Branzuela, Albert Rivera, Allan Macala, Esmael Abas, Alfredo Chay, Vivencio Mendoza Jr. and Jimson Bitoon. MARLON BERNARDINO