CAISSA'S FATHER: BATUCAN IS 2012 TORIL CHESS KING

( 2012 Toril Absolute Champion John Ray Batucan receiving his prizes from MTCA Pres. Atty. Jong Guevarra Jr. Also in phto are MTCA officers Dante dela Cruz, Chris Yap, Henry Fajardo and Engr. Jun Atmosfera. )

FM elect John Ray Batucan scored 8 wins with only a single loss in 9 rounds of intense battle to emerged as the 2012 Toril Absolute Chess Champion. Batucan defeated top-seed Jimmy Dano in the 9th and final round after the latter refused Batucan's draw offer. Batucan was awarded the champion's prize of P 7,000.00 + trophy + chessbook.

( 2nd placer Austin Jacob Literatus )

Another junior stand-out FM elect Austin Jacob Literatus grabbed second place after agreeing to a draw with Cerilo " Bata " Enobio in the last round. Other 6.5 pointers includes Eric Fernandez who beat Atty. Jong Guevarra Jr., and Cerilo Enobio but Literatus was declared 2nd placer via superior tiebreak. Fernandez and Enobio placed third and fourth, respectively but the three of them equally divided the prize of the 2nd to 4th place totalling P 8,000.00.

( 3rd placer Eric Fernandez )

Batucan seeded only 7th, toppled Rey Monte and Dhona Yngayo in the first two rounds before bowing to fourth-seed Nofre Reyes in the third round. Batucan, a former Asean Age-Group 12 and under champion, then bounced back with five straight wins at the expense of Eric Yngayo, Sr., 2nd seed Vincent Umayan, 8th seed and older brother Neptali Batucan, 10th-seed Anthony Mosqueda, 3rd seed Eric Fernandez and Dano.

( 9th round top board battle - CM Jimmy Dano vs. FM elect John Ray Batucan )

Mosqueda, Dano and Lito Laput shared the fifth to seventh places with similar six points while 5.5 scorers Neptali, Umayan and Atty. Jong Guevarra Jr. rounded up the top 10.

( 9th round Board 2 - FM elect Austin Jacob Literatus vs. Cerilo " Bata " Enobio )

The tournament was organized by the Metro Toril Chess Association in cooperation with the Chess Excellence Ltd. Co. and sponsored by third district Representative. C Isidro Ungab supported by Atty. Jong Guevarra Jr. of the Guevarra Law Office. Cecilio Acas was the tournament Arbiter.