Kings and Queens. The Chess team looks to return stronger in 2013. Photo by Tim Arafiles
AFTER THE first round of the UAAP Chess Championships, the Blue and Lady Wooshpushers sought to capture a podium finish by season’s end.
While the Woodpushers suffered considerable losses in the first round and the Lady Woodpushers notched a slew of victories, both teams were ready to engage their opponents more aggressively at the dawn of the second round.
Straggling along
With the men’s team consisting mostly of rookies, the daunting challenge of the intricate board had increased significantly. The lack of Woodpusher experience was evident in many crippling losses during the first round.
The boys failed to capitalize on certain teams such as Adamson, which then sported a disappointing 2-2 card. The only team Ateneo managed to defeat was eighth-seeded University of the East. As of the first round, the men’s team was ranked at seventh place. Although they were on a losing streak, the team looked forward to conclude the season on a high note.
“We hope to fight back in the second round so we can finish at least in fourth place,” veteran Woodpusher EJ Plan had said in a mix of Filipino and English. The men’s team may be a younger and weaker team than last year’s, but they surely have the potential to improve and get over the learning curve of the past UAAP season.
On the winning track
In contrast to a rough start by the men’s side, the Lady Woodpushers rocketed into a second place berth–only trailing DLSU by the end of the first round. When asked how the team prepared for the season, team captain Nikki Capinpin said, “Basically, we decided to change our training strategy from an application aspect to a more theoretical, going-back-to-basics and important tactical approach.”
In an individual sport such as chess, teamwork still plays a very valuable role in success. “We also try to build the team as a whole because we do have a lot of newbies,” Capinpin added.
Points are accumulated as a team and it affects the mental stability of each athlete. “One must not be afraid to lose because only in this way can one attain success,” Capinpin had said.
Undaunted
As the second round of the season began, the only direction the Woodpushers knew was forward. Since the men’s team struggled early in the season, a few adjustments were made to obtain more favorable results. “For the second round, [they] analyzed the first round performances of our opponents and made preparations for each game from there,” Plan said.
Despite being ranked lower than FEU, UP and UST, the underdog Woodpushers were determined to make a strong mark deep into the season. As for the Lady Woodpushers, the key to their sustained strong run is in their team chemistry. As Nikki Capinpin always said, “Teamwork plays an important role in every game.” She persistently reminded her teammates the significance of team chemistry.
The competition was intense—the FEU Woodpushers dominated the tournament, while UP displayed consistency. In the distaff side, La Salle lorded it over and won the championship. The Blue and Lady Woodpushers finished fifth and sixth respectively, but surely, the Ateneo chess team will not back down from future challenges.
