Bacoleños Raymund Dela Peña and Trinie Olmedo swept their two assignments each yesterday to spearhead the locals' domination at the start of the Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia Cup chess tournament at the Bacolod Pavillion Resort and Restaurant in Bacolod City.

By beating their first two opponents, Dela Peña and Olmedo posted two match points apiece after the second round, sharing the early lead with Bacoleños Ted Montoyo, Jordaine Tupas, Warlito Dymosco and Xavier Verdun.

Also registering two match points each yesterday were Rocky Pabalan, Marvin Ting and Romeo Cruz.

Other players who scored to match points were Iloilo-based chessers Rosendo Reyes, Rey Flores, Ronald Ganzon and Florante Toquero.

Top seed Vito Tapulgo was held to a draw by 12-year-old Jerich Cajeras of Escalante City during their encounter in the tournament that drew 68 chessers from Negros Occidental, Iloilo and Dumaguete City.

The Leonardia event is a qualifying tournament for the Region VI leg of the 2006 National Chess Championships.

The top ten woodpushers in the regional qualifying event will gain slots in the semifinals of the national tournament as well as national, FIDE and international masters.

The top nine chessers in the semifinals will advance to the finals of the 2006 NCC that will be held in Manila and the top six winners in the national championships will represent the Philippines in the 37th World Chess Olympiad from May 19 to June 5 in Turin, Italy.

A total of P23,000 will also be handed to the top ten winners of the regional meet that is being organized by the Bacolod City local government and the Negros Chess Federation of the Philippines. The champion in the regional qualifying event will receive P7,000 and a trophy.

Also supporting the tournament are the Bacolod Office of the Youth and Sports Development, NCFP board of director Willy Abalos, Moises Dela Cruz, Susan Jamero who is the executive assistant and sports development officer of the Bacolod local government, and national master Wilfredo Neri who is the NCFP Region VI coordinator.*CIT

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