THEY made this season’s finest moves.
The UST Lady Woodpushers bagged the UAAP Season 68 Chess Championship, capturing their first title since the women’s division was introduced in the league in 2001.
The UST Female Chessers concluded the tournament with 33 points. Pre-season favorite De La Salle University settled for a runner-up finish with 30.5 points, while defending champion University of the Philippines was relegated to third place with 30 points.
“I was not expecting my players to win. But they played their best,” Dableo said. “May konting suwerte na ring kasama.”
UST was assured of the championship following an easy victory against UE, 3.5-0.5, last Sept. 18.
Board one silver medalist Romelyn Guerra outsmarted UE’s Mardeon Bearneza in board one. Danielle Day Estrada, board five gold medalist, got the better off Richelle Dimaano in board three, while rookie Genelline de Ramos, the board six gold medalist, defeated Sharyne Abuan in board four.
“Masisipag ‘yung mga bata. Noong second place na kami, sinabi ko bahala na sila kung gusto pa nilang tumaas at iyon nga ‘yung ginawa nila,” Dableo said of his players’ winning attitude.
With two national team players, Season 65 MVP Shercila Cua and sister Sherily, joining UST’s formidable line-up next season, Dableo is assured of a stronger squad.
The sister act and their mentor are set to see action in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games in November.
Falling short
With just a point shy of duplicating their second place finish last season, the UST Male Woodpushers ended this year’s chessfest with 37 points to land in third.
UP walked home with the title with 39 points, while six-time defending boards champion La Salle escaped with 37.5 points to finish as bridesmaids.
UST staged a rally after enduring a slump early into the tournament, placing as low as seventh at the start of the season. Beating one team after another, UST had an almost spotless second round only to fall a point short in their bid to retain their previous post. Head coach and National Master Winston Silva, however, said he is satisfied with the results.
“We started slow and we really had to work our way up,” said Silva. “Pasalamat na rin kami at nakaabot pa kami sa trophy-awarded finishes.”
Assured of a third place finish coming into the last day of the tournament, UST evened with La Salle, 2-2, last Sept. 24.
UST’s Leo Usman bowed to tournament back-to-back MVP John Paul Gomez in board one. Board two silver medalist Vic Neil Villanueva and board three gold medalist Arnold Dableo pulled off draws with Archers Jayson Salubre and Emmanuel Emperado in boards two and three. UST’s Ramon Manon-og, meanwhile, outwitted Paolo Bautista in board four.
Rookie John Vincent Paragua hauled another gold for UST after dominating board six.
Despite the third-place finish, Silva said he has a better team in his fold.
“We don’t have stars in our team this year. I think it worked for us because there was a more balanced effort on the part of the players,” he said.
