Marc Kevin Labog of Solano, Nueva Vizcaya, emerged as the champion in the 9th leg of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) Champions League Open Chess Tournament (over the board) last Sunday, May 19, 2024, at the SM City, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, Philippines.
Labog , who plays for the Pasig City King Pirates in the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP), pocketed the P7,000 purse and the trophy for ruling the tournament among over 90 players.
Labog is one of the top players of Datamatics Chess Team, the reigning BPO Olympics Champion, formerly known as Call Center Olympics.
Labog tallied 6.5 points in 7 rounds, the same output of Vince Angelo Medina of Cabuyao City, Laguna whom he bested in the tie break points.
Medina’s second place finish earned him P5,000, while the third place went to Mc Dominique Lagula of Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya with 6.0 points to earn P3,000.
The fourth to 10th placers were Willy Villaruz (6.0), Jan Cliford Labog (5.5), Jake Tasi Tumaliuan (5.5), Marc Francis Balanay (5.5), Alexander Jude Malabad (5.0), Lionel Cerezo (5.0) and Lordwin Espiritu (5.0), respectively.
Tournament Director Laurence Wilfred Dumadag said Marc Kevin Labog will advance to the Grand Finals of Tournament of Champions (over the board) on July 19 to 21 at the Greenhills Mall, Ortigas, San Juan City.
Other renowned players who have made it to the grand finals are FM Ellan Asuela (Leg 1, Ozamis Chess 7 in 1 Team Festival), Kevin Arquero (Leg 2, HUbstar Open Invitational), Omar Bagalacsa (Leg 3, Pasig Battle of the Masters), John Philip Gabuco (Leg 4, Puerto Princesa Open Chess Challenge), IM Daniel Quizon (Leg 5, Chairman’s Cup), FM Austin Jacob Literatus (Leg 6, Davao), Virgen Gil Ruaya (Leg 7, Camarines Sur) and IM Kim Steven Yap (Leg 8, Cebu).
Completing the cast are 13-time Philippine Open Champion GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. (PCAP Season 3 All Filipino Conference Best Player), IM Joel Banawa (PCAP Season 3 Co-Best Player) and WFM Cherry Ann Mejia (PCAP Season 3 Co-Best Player).
According to Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) Chairman Michael Angelo Ong Chua, under tournament rules of the Grandfinals of Tournament of Champions , it will be a Round Robin Format. Each round will be composed of Blitz (5 minutes plus 3 seconds increment) and Rapid (13 minutes plus 2 seconds increment). Blitz will be scored 1 for win, 0.5 for draw and 0 for loss. Rapid will be scored 2 for win, 1.0 for draw and 0 for loss. Highest Total Game Points will win the round and will get 1 Match Point. If the score is tied, then 0.5 will be awarded to each player.
Chairman Chua added that cash prizes of P80,000, P30,000 and P20,000 await the top three placers. The fourth to 12th placers, meanwhile, will claim P5,000 each.-Marlon Bernardino-