Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship: Morazo, Medina wins

I’m a stickler for good first impressions. Last Saturday, I had the opportunity of coming over in Megamall after working hours and witness myself the superb coverage and organization of Shell for this event. It was nothing short of being spectacular. I even bought a coke and some pretzels and stays there for nearly two hours. I should say that Shell did fair well enough to edge the 4th PGMA and 5th Pichay cup in terms of comfort, coverage and over all organizational prowess. One of the highlights in the venue is that they provide video cameras and two super size wide screen LCD's, a sight rarely seen in in local tournaments, to feature the live games being played on the top boards so spectators don't have to shoulder their way among the crowd just to follow the games. You couldn't get any better than that. Too bad, yours truly was totally unprepared for this, I'm armed with no laptop and camera to blog about the event. Next time, and I hope they will do it again in the Metro, we will give what is due for this kind of properly organized chess tournament that deserves all the praises and attention from the chess communities.

In the meantime here's the final report by Marlon Bernardino:

JOHN RANEL MORAZO of Tarlac and Vince Angelo Medina of Laguna won the Juniors and Kiddies divisions respectively at the conclusion of 17th Shell National Youth Active Chess Championships Grand Finals last Sunday at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

Morazo, earned seven points to win P30,000 in the 20-under competition of the juniors divisions. Actually, Morazo, substitute for fellow University of Baguio student Leonardo Abalos who was trapped by floods in Baguio after Typhoon Pepeng hit the said cities.

Ateneo de Manila University's Giovanni Romero scored 6.5 points to settle for P20,000.

Bryll Arellano and Joseph Turqueza wounded up with identical six points but the former had superior tiebreak for third place to claim P15,000. The latter instead got P10,000.

Jayson Mercado, who bested fellow 5.5 scorers Lennon Salgados and Richelieu Salcedo III via tiebreak, occupied the fifth spot and took P7,000.

In the kiddies 14 and under category, Medina, playing under the banner of GM Jayson Gonzales Far Eastern University notch eight points to win the championship trophy plus P 20,000 cash prizes.

Team mate Mc Dominique Lagula also from FEU tallied 5.5 points pocketed P15,000 in the event sponsored by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum and sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) under the leadership of Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr.

Davao City's Austin Jacob Literatus won P10,000 cash for placing third while Jeazzier Surposa earned 4.5 points for fourth place and received P7,500. Giovanni Mejia of La Salle Greenhills gained four points for fifth place and went home with P5,000.