Ivan Cu-led team tops chess tournament in Lipa City

Source: The Manila times

Lipa City, Batangas - Ivan Travis Cu, the country's newest FIDE Master, towed Team Seirin to victory in the open division of the JCI Senate Lipa open rapid chess team tournament here at Lipa City Convention Center on Monday.

Cu led the team that is also composed of Tyrhone James Tabernilla and Zeus Alexis Paglinawan and coached by International Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia.

Team Seirin finished with 7.0 points based on the match point style of scoring to rule the seven-round tournament organized by JCI Senate Lipa and pocket the P50,000 top purse.

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The event was held as part of Lipa City's foundation day anniversary celebration and was backed by Mayor Eric Africa, former Vice Mayor Kuya Boy Manguerra and Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers (PSME) past president Engr. Roger Reyes.

Team Seirin defeated Blahlala (3-0), Team Gold Eagle (2-1), UST Team F (2.5-0.5), Team Pakners (2.5-0.5), UST Team B (2-1), Tira-Tira Sampaloc C (2.5-0.5) and The Teddy Bears (2-1) en route to the championship.

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"Truly a team effort," said the 15-year-old Cu, a grade 10 student of Xavier School in San Juan City who is fresh from second-place finish last month in Hanoi IM chess tournament in Vietnam, where he secured his FIDE Master title.

Cu tallied 5.5 points on board 1, Tabernilla scored 4.5 points on board 2 and Paglinawan notched 6.5 points on board 3.

UST Team A of Mark Gerald Reyes, Carl Daluz and Allan Gabriel Hilario placed second overall followed by Tira-Tira Sampaloc C of Kelly Rancalp, Narciso Gumila and Timothy Baclayon.

Meanwhile, Rian Paul Tenorio topped the Youth Division (under-18) of the tournament followed by Ariel Santander and Clyde Jared Torena. Earlier, Mayor Eric Africa and Asia's first Grandmaster Eugene Torre made the ceremonial moves, kicking off the one-day tournament also graced by Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers - PSME past president Engr. Roger Reyes, International Master Roderick Nava of Kamatyas Chess Club, Chief Arbiter Ryan Dimayuga, Deputy Arbiter Allan Oseña, 13-time Philippine Open champion Grandmaster Rogelio "Joey" Antonio Jr., former Vice-Mayor Kuya Boy Manguerra and tournament director Engr. Danilo Reyes.