2 PANIQUI PLAYERS BAG CHESS TOURNEY CROWN

Gerona, Tarlac, Nov. 23, 2008 -- After six rounds of grueling 25-minute non-stop tournament play, Eugene Dimarucut and John Ranel Morazo of Paniqui, Tarlac, bagged the Gerona Non-Master Chess Tournament championship crown held at the Gerona Public Library.

Dimarucut and Morazo, both former Palarong Pambansa standouts, piled up 5.5 points each to share the lead of the chess tournament sponsored by the municipality of Gerona.

Dimarucut however beat Morazo on higher tie-breaks to claim for the topmost spot.

Local bet, Benny Palarca, a public school teacher of Buenlag Elementary School, came out with a strong 5-point finish in the last round to share the 3rd to 4th spot. Roy Bermudez of Poblacion 2 was a distant 8th to 17th place.

Mayor Go kicked off the event with a ceremonial move to open the chess tournament which was one of the highlights of this year’s Fiesta Celebration.

The tournament drew in a total of 51 chess woodpushers who trooped to the Gerona public library to participate in the one day chess tournament composed of rated players from Far Eastern University, who will see action in Malaysia this December, DepEd provincial chess champions, former Palarong Pambansa players, and local club players from Gerona and Paniqui Chess Clubs.

Highzzy and Heirry Manaloto, the province’s bets in the Central Luzon Regional Athletic Meet CLRAA Chess tournament in March, took away the best kiddies awards.

The tournament awarded a total of 15, 000 worth of cash prizes and trophies.