FIDE Master (FM) Noel Dela Cruz won the IIEE Southern Luzon Regional Conference (SLRC) chess tournament, a knockout Armageddon system held at the IIEE SLRC Building on July 29, 2024 in Cubao, Quezon City, Philippines. In photo are (left to right) IIEE Branding Vice Chairman Engr. Ervin Fernandez, IIEE Branding Chairman Engr. Menandro Lim, FM Noel Dela Cruz (Champion), IIEE National Past President Engr. Allan Anthony Alvarez.
He advanced to the finals against Lee Roi Palma after a win with Jed Monzon, Julian Paul Querubin, NM Marlon Bernardino and Andrew Elpedes. He won the pot prize of P3,000 while runner up Palma gained P1,500.
Dela Cruz is a former top player of San Sebastian College – Recoletos Manila under the guidance of coach NM Homer Cunanan.
Notable players who joined the mini-tournament were IM Angelo Young, IM Jose Efren Bagamasbad, NM Edmundo Gatus, NM Romeo Alcodia, Atty Rodolfo Enrique Rivera and Abraham Tecson.
Special guests during the event were Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) President and Commissioner Atty. Paul Elauria and Rotary Club Bacoor City Sunrise District 3810 President Mary France Lodronio. The tournament was organized by the IIEE branding committee adviser Allan Anthony Alvarez, Chairman Menandro Lim, Vice Chairman Ervin Fernandez and Secretary Lea Pueca.
Lucky draw winners of the painting from Sentro Artista were IIEE Jessie Oclarit who won the “Mother and Child” painting by Mylene Quito and import Francis Esleban who won “Musikero” painting by Angelito Antonio.
The event was part of the awarding ceremony for the IIEE National Chess Olympiad season 5 which started last February 2 and ended on July 20, 2024 with IIEE Mindanao snaring its 3rd season crown while the IIEE Quezon won the in-season tournament championship.
The Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) still led against the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineer (IIEE) Mindanao team, 22-13, with less than 25 minutes remaining when Abdul Halil Abdullah II scored 12 of his 16 points to win it for Mindanao, 30-22.
Overall, the IIEE Mindanao was led by Jemuel Calo scoring a total 65 points for the entire tournament winning the 20×30 inches painting “dancing of Life” by Medardo S. Olaco. The top 5 scorers for the team included Abdul, Arjun Crisologo, Elmer Claveria and Jerick Rendon.
It was a tough road for IIEE Mindanao as they won all the preliminary 4 games against other IIEE Super region Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and foreign region then lost all the 4 in-season games when playing as separate class teams IIEE Cagayan de Oro (CDO), IIEE Socsargen-Davao, IIEE Northern Mindanao and IIEE Southwest Mindanao. They only landed as 2nd seed behind the IIEE Foreign region bannered by NM Noel Dela Cruz, the best import of the tournament who won a 36×48 inches painting “Dasig” by RJ Rey A. Buriat.
In the playoff, PICE beat IIEE Foreign and IIEE Bicol while IIEE Mindanao downed Institute of Electronic Engineers of the Philippines (IECEP) and IIEE Metro Manila who beat earlier the elimination leader Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineer (PSME).
In the in-season tournament, the IIEE Quezon avenged their only loss of the tournament against IIEE Iloilo, 25-15 as the team was bannered by IM Michael Concio and Anatoly Pascua. During their semi-final conquest of the season 1 Champion IIEE Southern Laguna, the team was led by Concio, Pascua, FM Mark Bacojo and IM Daniel Quizon. Other notable imports were IM Jose Efren Bagamasbad, IM Angelo Young, IM Barlo Nadera, FM Steven Breckenridge, FM Nelson Mariano III, NM Marlon Bernardino, NM Jose Aquino, NM Nicomedes Alisangco, NM Marc Nazario, NM Rommel Ganzon, NM Fritz Bryan Porras, NM John Cyrus Borce, NM Ronald Llavanes, NM Glennen Artuz, NM Alvin Alcala, NM Oberio Aglipay and NM John Michael Silvederio. -Marlon Bernardino-
8-time Illinois USA champion IM Angelo Young (left foreground), shakes hands with IIEE branding Chairman Engr. Menandro Lim, before making the ceremonial moves to kick off the mini-tournament (knockout Armageddon system) during IIEE National Chess Olympiad Season 5 awarding of team champions IIEE Mindanao and IIEE Quezon.
Others in the photo are Atty. Rodolfo Enrique Rivera, Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) President and Commissioner Atty. Paul Elauria, IM Jose Efren Bagamasbad, IIEE Chessmaster Chairman Eric Frigillana, Artist KC De Guzman, IIEE Branding Secretary Lea Pueca, Rotary President Mary France Lodronio and IIEE National Past President Engr. Allan Anthony Alvarez.