Abellana Tops Air Force Chess Tournament

Play in session. Jodi Tamala(left) is pitted against one of his long time chess comrades.

Ariel Joseph Abellana of USC has just won the recent 'Air Force One' Chess Tournament last yesterday in Lapu Lapu City, Cebu. Abellana, an imaginative and talented junior player, scored 5 and a half points out of 7 rounds to take 1st place, leading merely half a point against his closest rivals. 

Meanwhile, Abellana's elder brother, Aniel Abellana beat the old guards, Ramil Resuera and Aldwin Daculan with surprising effect and took 2nd place. Aniel also beat Kraig Quinain, another strong player, when the latter blundered a rook after acquiring a strategically won game. 

In third place was the 2009 Lapu Lapu champion, Amado Olea while another club talent, Alvin Regodon came out fourth. The chess club's "Gambit Master" and Center Counter expert, Nilo Bonganciso took 5th place over veteran chess master Romeo Resuera when the former had the better on tiebreaks. 

Those who were able to catch the sixth to tenth places respectively were: Romeo Resuera, Weynard Labastida, Norman Olayvar, Jun Olis, and Jojo Muralla who is also now the CEPCA president.

The event became only possible when Air Force Sgt. Amado Olea, of the Benito Ebuen Air Base  alongside with his air force comrades, and chess philanthropist Jun Olis began the organisational work for the tournament just 2 days before schedule.