Fernando Mendoza and Dwayne Tyler Dulnuan will defend their respective titles at the 23rd Pines City Chess Club Rapid Chess Tournament, set for Saturday, October 26, at Baguio Center Mall.
Mendoza clinched victory in the 22nd edition with a perfect score of six points from six rounds. The fourth-seed, with an Elo rating of 1805, upset top-seeded Deryl Penaflorida (Elo 1975), who ultimately tied with fifth-seed Sebastian Damonsong (Elo 1653) at five points. Penaflorida secured second place due to a higher tiebreak score.
Four unrated players finished in fourth to seventh places in the previous tournament, with Daryl Quague leading the group based on tiebreak points. Grevonliston Bustos, Ronnie Cataroja, and Eric Lee Gardel followed in fifth through seventh places, respectively.
Xyrus Arinos led second-seed Coneado Agaton III (Elo 1932) and Christopher Lacasandile to secure eighth to 10th places, each scoring 3.5 points. Four other players also scored 3.5 points but ranked lower due to tiebreak points.
On the kiddies’ side, Dulnuan narrowly defeated Mark Daniel Sapalong, with both players finishing at 5.5 points. Dulnuan took first place with a higher tiebreak score, leaving Sapalong in second. Third-seed Mishka Shezney Dacquel (Elo 1548) secured third place with five points.
Six players finished with four points and occupied fourth to ninth places, led by top-seeded Meijer Juro Cabotaje (Elo 1661), who took the top spot due to tiebreak points. The group included three female players: Yellow Rain Alfonso, Lance Khian Garcia, Cheldi Vallejo, Mary Grace Valdez, and Sheena Mae Manis. Adrian Padura rounded out the top 10 with 3.5 points, leading several others, including Kier Nelson Lidua, grandson of the late Judge Nelson Lidua.
