MANILA – The University of Santo Tomas (UST) emerged as champion in the blitz category of the UAAP Season 88 collegiate chess tournament, while Far Eastern University (FEU) asserted dominance in multiple divisions during competitions held at Adamson University.
UST secured its finals berth after dispatching Ateneo de Manila University in the semifinals, 3.5-0.5, 3-1, 3-1. FEU, on the other hand, advanced by overcoming De La Salle University in a tightly contested series, 4-0, 2.5-1.5, 1.5-2.5, 2-2.
In the championship round, UST opened strong with a sweep in Round 1, followed by a narrow 2.5-1.5 victory in Round 2, before sealing the title via a 2-2 draw in the final round.
Key performances came from Jan Clifford Labog, Christian Mark Daluz, Chester Neil Reyes, and Carl Daluz, who delivered gold medals for the España-based squad. Vince Pascual contributed with a silver medal finish.
UST head coach and Grandmaster-elect Ronald Dableo credited their top seeding and improved lineup for the team’s success, noting their strength in the lower boards as a decisive advantage against FEU.
Meanwhile, FEU captured the women’s championship, led by WNM Vic Glysen Derotas, who not only topped Board 3 but also earned the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors.
Derotas expressed pride in her achievement, emphasizing the significance of receiving a special individual award alongside her team’s victory.
Supporting her campaign were Woman FIDE Master Francesca Largo, Woman National Master Mhage Sebastian, and Kate Ordizo, who each secured silver medals, while Samantha Umayan added a gold medal performance.
Despite settling for second place in the men’s division, FEU still took home major individual awards, including MVP honors for International Master Mark Jay Bacojo and Rookie of the Year recognition for Jerish John Velarde.
Bacojo highlighted the team-first nature of the UAAP competition, saying individual accolades were secondary to their overall performance.
FEU-Diliman further bolstered the school’s showing by winning both the boys’ and girls’ divisions. Head coach Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales described the campaign as historic, noting that FEU captured three out of four division titles in the tournament’s first year as a regular UAAP sport.
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