LAWYER JONG Melendez dominated last Saturday’s Cebu Executives and Professionals Chess Association (CEPCA) Monthly Qualifying Chess tournament held at the Deep blue D’ Woodpushers Club at the 2nd Level of SM City Cebu.
Melendez finished the five-round competition undefeated.
He won over Joe Atillo in the last round to finish with 4.5 points.
Among his victims were Jun Pasion in the first round and Fabio Abucejo in the second. He drew with Jun Kidlat in the third then upset highly favored National Master (NM) Arnold Cadiz in the fourth and coasted to an easy win against Atillo in the fifth and final round.
Rene Casia claimed second place honors with 4.0 points followed by Kidlat at third place with 3.5 points. Casia won over Kidlat in the final round.
Melendez’s scintillating win against NM Cadiz was well-applauded by the crowd as he displayed exceptional endgame techniques in toppling the master.
Melendez, the acting director for the prosecution bureau of the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas, automatically qualified to the Grand Finals scheduled this December.
A total of 24 of Cebu’s best wood pushers competed in this tournament. /CORRESPONDENT DALE G. ROSAL