1st BPSU Inter Collegiate Team Chess Championship

BALANGA CITY, Bataan – The Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU) held the 1st BPSU Inter Collegiate Team Chess Championship participated by top universities in the country at the BPSU Main Campus Library over the weekend. 

Sixteen chess teams (men and women) representing De La Salle University, University of Sto. Tomas, Lyceum of the Philippines University, National University, University of the East, Holy Angel University, San Beda College, and BPSU crossed swords in the 2-day 6 rounds Swiss System chess tournament.        

Seven chess masters joined  the competition  including International Master Paulo Bersamina (NU), FIDE Master Austin Jacob Letiratus (NU), FIDE Master Mari Joseph Turqueza (San Beda), National Master Allan John Datu (San Beda), National Master Marc Christian Nazario (San Beda), Woman FIDE Master Cherry Ann Mejia (DLSU), and National Master Giovanni Mejia (DLSU). 

San Beda emerged champion taking home the top prize of P25 thousand. Second place was National University, and third, Lyceum of the Philippines University.    

In his welcome remarks, BPSU President Greg Rodis said the tournament is the University’s way of promoting chess in the region.

He said chess is a good mind sport for the youths to be indulged upon as he shared he thinks he knows more than the basics of chess but not an expert.     

He thanked the participants for their support as he invited them to join again in the University’s next staging of the chess competition.

Rodis also took the opportunity to invite participants to see some places in Balanga like the Plaza Mayor De Balanga and the Balanga City Wetland and Nature Park.

The University president and Grandmaster Ronald Dableo, coach of UST, made the ceremonial moves that officially started the tournament last Saturday morning, December 3.

The chess grandmaster pledged to Rodis that the UST chess teams will support future chess tournaments of the university. FIDE Master Randy Segarra was also present in the tournament as coach of DLSU.