Bubu Chacha’s Jem Garcia and Marc Christian Nazario showed resiliency as they beat College of Saint Benilde’s John Laurence Donguines and Daniel Baylosis in the deciding Game Three to capture the WR Bughouse Chess Open crown at the MICE Center in Quezon City over the weekend.

Garcia, an International Master who be part of the Philippine squad wading into next month’s World Chess Olympiad battle in Uzbekistan, and Nazario overcame a stinging defeat in the title opener and came back to seize Game Two and the do-or-die duel to snare the crown and the P100,000 purse.

The pair, who decided to team up in the last minute, also overcame a faulty and slow start after dropping two straight matches that started after falling to Donguines and Baylosis in the second round.

They used those defeats as motivation and won their last five matches to make it to the quarterfinals, won another one in the semis and eventually served early conquerors Donguines and Baylosis in snatching the title.

Metaboys’ Samson Lim III and Jerich Cajeras, who finished first after the qualification round, blanked DCSK’s Noel dela Cruz and Timothy John So Kua in two outings to finish third place in this one-day meet backed by WR Chess’ Wadim Rosenstein, the PSC, Quezon City and the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

More than 100 participants battled through eight grueling rounds for the eight seats to the playoff stage.

Chronosphere’s IM Pau Bersamina and Rafiel Irvin Lacorte, Datamatics Red’s Mark Kevin Labog and John Michael Magpily, Ruy Lopez Kidz’s Zach Evan Orzame and Marco Piolo Sanido, and Stopper’s IM Michael Concio, Jr. and FIDE Master Alekhine Nouri also made the playoff cut were the other four teams who made the quarters.