THE UST Woodpushers finished strong in the 2012 National Juniors Chess Championships Visayas-leg at the Cabagnot Training Center in Kalibo, Aklan from April 11 to 14.
Four Woodpushers booked tickets to the grand playoffs from April 23 to 30 in Tanauan, Batangas, but missed the opportunity due to personal commitments.
Christine Laz led seventh-seeded Lady Woodpushers after amassing four points in the girls’ division (three wins, one loss, and two draws) to finish sixth after six rounds in the four-day tournament.
“I was disappointed with my performance because there were games that I almost won but then I got rattled with time so we ended up with draws,” said Laz, who tried out for the world championships in Greece.
Laz dispatched of tournament veteran Natalie Ramos and Zamboanga City’s Jamy Burnos and pulled off an upset against UAAP MVP and national master Jan Judilyn Fronda of De La Salle University.
In the third round, Far Eastern University’s (FEU) Gladys Romero defeated Laz, who later settled with draws against La Salle’s Judith Pinedad and FEU’s Enrica Villa.
Engineering sophomore Loraine Salinas placed ninth with three points after defeating Roxanne Azcarraga of Zamboanga City, Samantha Glo Revita of Pangasinan, and Deanne Surposa of General Santos City. But she bowed down to Visayas-leg champion and fide master Marie Antoinette San Diego of Cavite, Adamson University’s Jean Enriquez, and FEU’s Mira Mirano.
Male Woodpusher Jude Emil Fronda made a good account of himself in the U-20 open division with four points (three wins, one loss, and two draws). He finished fifth out of 35 participants.
Fronda, an Engineering senior, trounced Cagayan de Oro’s Keith Duval Ibaoc, fellow Thomasian Woodpusher Normel de Jesus, and Bulacan standout Paul Casiano.
He drew against fide master Joel Pimentel Jr. of the College St. Benilde, this year’s Visayas-leg champion, and FEU’s Jan Francis Mirano. His lone setback came in the hands FEU’s McDominique Lagula in the sixth round.
National Master Joey Albert Florendo of UST was also good for four points, carving two wins and four draws to snare the ninth place.
Florendo squeaked past La Salle’s Emanuel Ivan Paler and Woman National Master Janelle Frayna of FEU in the first and fifth rounds. He settled for draws against Misamis Oriental’s Chester Coquilla, Asean Youth bet Tristan Ibaoc, and FEU’s Mirano and Jose Carlo Castro.
