UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas continued its immaculate run in the UAAP Season 85 men’s chess championships with a 4-0 win over Adamson University to retain the top spot after two rounds of play last Sunday at FEU-Diliman Sports Complex.
Julius Gonzales led the way anew for the defending champions as he negated Vince Albert Arellano’s tactical sacrifice by playing superbly with two rooks against a queen en route to a win with the black pieces on Board 1.
Melito Ocsan Jr. followed suit on Board 2 with a quick win over Adamson’s John Frederick Sunga in just 27 moves of a French Defense.
Brylle Gever Vinluan, playing with black, also ended the match quickly on Board 3, forcing Jolan Carlos Ballobar to resign after 32 moves of a Pirc Defense while Lee Roi Palma took down Alfonzo Louis Olendo in 33 moves courtesy of an unstoppable mating attack to complete the shutout win.
Second-running University of the Philippines was limited to a 2-2 split by Far Eastern University.
Fide Master Fide-Master Stephen Rome Pangilinan continued his stellar play on Board 1 as he unleashed a mating attack that forced Hans Ezekiel Olorosisimo to resign after 37 moves of an English Opening.
Season 85 runner-up MVP Jan Darryl Batula added to UP’s points with a masterful rook endgame play on Board 3 against Darry Bernardo but FEU’s John Merill Jacutina and Lorenzo Aaron Cantela delivered for the Tamaraws on Boards 2 and 4, respectively, to force a series draw.
De La Salle University scored its first series win, a 3-1 conquest of archrival Ateneo de Manila University to move into a tie for second overall.
