Police Officer Ernie Abanco dominated the field of 80 entries with six wins and a draw to capture the championship in the second edition of the AIA Antonio Ivan Aguirre FCBI Negros Chess Rapid Championship 2012 held Sunday at the Centroplex Mall in Bacolod City.

Exposed to high-level of competition with his recent stint in Thailand during the 12th Bangkok Chess Club Open Tournament, Abanco made his mark in the Rapid Championship by beating National Master Alfred Acaling III with a rook.

His triumph against Acaling set the tone for his overall domination of the tournament that earned him P3,000 in cash and the Prestige Glass Trophy in the tournament organized by the Negros Integrated Chess Association/Pawnstorm.

Placing second to Abapo was Ric Raymund Dela Peña, who scored six points, while Danny Mangao, Acaling, and Sonny Pasco finished with 5.5 points to complete the list of the top five finishers.

In the female category Eden Agape Tumbos topped the competition while Krizzia Nepomuceno reigned in the Kiddie division.

The winners received their prizes from Lea Aguirre, wife of Antonio Aguirre, who also delivered a message during the opening ceremony.

Also supporting the tournament was First Community Bank, Inc. headed by Lawrence Villanueva and Eugenio Villasor Villanueva Foundation.

The tournament is a brainchild of chess players Hugo Villanueva and Antonio Ivan Aguirre, who believes in the chess talent of Negrenses.

Pooling their resources to organize local tournaments, Villanueva and Aguirre also bankrolled Abanco and FIDE Master Sander Severino’s participation in the Thailand tournament last April.

Aguirre said that Negrense players like Abanco have the potential to become top chess players and all that is needed is to expose them regularly to international chess competition.*NAB

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