IM Pimentel rules Rapid event in Bobby Pacquiao Random Chess Festival
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 25 Feb 2016
GENERAL SANTOS CITY ? International Master Joel Pimentel fought Grandmaster Rogelio ?Joey? Antonio to a draw in the ninth and final round to rule the individual rapid event of the Bobby D. Pacquiao Random Chess Festival 2016 at the SM City Mall here Thursday.
With the draw, the 23-year old College of St. Benilde student, Pimentel raised his total to eight points out of a possible nine to annex the crown as he walked to the bank richer by P60,000.
Antonio, finished with 7.5 points, took second place via a superior quotient over five other players who submitted similar score -- Rommel Ganzon, National Master Allan Macala, Jench Cajeras, Hamed Nouri and Kim Steven Yap.
Robert Suelo, IM Ronald Dableo and IM Emmanuel Senador, all with seven points each, complete the top ten finishers. All nine players ? from Antonio to Senador --- will split the combined 2nd to 10th places money of P120,000 and will each take home P13,330.
Pimentel, who manned the top board for eventual champion Elman 1 in last December?s Manny Pacquiao Random Chess tournament also held here, said the turning point of the championship for him was when he beat fellow IM and UST coach Ronald Dableo in the eighth round.
?Noong makalusot ako kay coach Dableo , doon na nga nagkaroon ng pag-asa na maging champion,? said the Bacolod native Pimentel, who is taking up Computer Application course at CSB.
Antonio, meanwhile, downed Singapore-based Robert Suelo in the eighth round to set up the last-round duel against Pimentel, hoping for a stalemate so as not to risk dropping to a much lower position.
?Hindi ko na pinilit. Alam ko naman na draw na lang ang kailangan ni Joel. Kung natalo pa kasi ako sa kanya, baka lumaglag pa ako sa mababang pwesto,? said the many-time Chess Olympian.
?Okey na rin yun. Magaling yan si Joel at naging coach niya na rin ako dati,? added Antonio, who had an acted as Pimentel?s coach in an ASEAN age-group tournament back in 2006.
Aside from winning cash prizes, Pimentel, Antonio and third placer Ganzon will also receive trophies in the closing ceremony Friday.
Forty other players, aside from the top 10 finishers, received cash prizes in the 9-round rapid individual event, the second of three tournaments sponsored by Sarangani Cong. Manny Pacquiao.
The last event for the week, a blitz tournament (which will use the 5-2 format) started Thursday afternoon, while the awarding ceremony for all three events are slated Friday.
Final Standings
Pimentel, 8 points; Antonio, Ganzon, Macala, Cajeras, Nouri, Yap 7.5; Suelo, Dableo, Senador, Aquino, Salvador 7; Salcedo Ri., Salgados, Galan, Nolte, Roque M., Pascua, Tolentino, Salcedo Ra., Salubre, Lagudas, Severino, Laylo, Roque R., Garma, Turqueza, 6.5; Maghuyop, Andador, Sadia, Batcho, Magno, Elorta, Areque, Branzuela, Parondo, Libanan, Paraguya, Salera, Rapanot, Bitoon, Llavanes, Roullo, Maamo, Ranola, Mariano, Montoya, Sinangote, Leysa, Tapulgo 6.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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