HARIDAS PASCUA PLACES 2ND OVERALL IN HONGKONG OPEN CHESS
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 28 Dec 2017
Final Standings: (Nine Round Swiss-system)
8.0 points---GM Karen Grigoryan (Armenia)
7.0 points---IM Haridas Pascua (Philippines), GM Zeng Chongsheng (China), IM Li Bo (China)
6.5 points---FM Deniel Causo (Philippines), CM Zuo Yifan (China),FM Zhou Chen (China),GM Wong Meng Kong (Singapore), FM Luis Chan (Australia)
6.0 points---Mirai Aoshima (Japan), Cai Chaoruo (China), Naohiro Nakamura (Japan), FM Nelson Villanueva (Philippines), Liu Cheng (Singapore), Jonathan Auyeung Chi Hung (Singapore), Aiden Zhou (Canada), Tamang Dal Bahadur (Hongkong)
5.5 points--- Denis Molofej (Lithuania), James Chan (Canada), FM Brian Wong (Hongkong), FM Brian Dew (Hongkong), Michael Concio Jr. (Philippines), Baining Chen (Canada), FM Alekhine Nouri (Philippines), Wang Ze (China), Benjamin Lu (USA), WCM Sun Yucan (China), Cheng Alexander Chen Yu (Chinese-Taipei)
FILIPINO Grandmaster-elect and International Master (IM) Haridas Burlaza Pascua ended the season with a bang as he finished overall second in the Jolimark International Open Chess Championship dubbed as Hong Kong International Open held at the Kung Lee College in Tai Hang Drive, Hong Kong on Wednesday (December 27, 2017).
Pascua scored crucial draws in the last three rounds to wrap up his campaign with 7.0 points on five wins and four draws, the same output of eventual 3rd placer GM Zeng Chongsheng of China and 4th place IM Li Bo of China, whom he beat in the tie break points.
He drew with sole champion GM Karen Grigoryan of Armenia in the seventh round, IM Li Bo of China in the eight round and CM Zuo Yifan of China in the ninth and final round.
Grigoryan pocketed the HK $10,000 top purse, Pascua earned HK $6,000, Chongsheng got HK $5,000 and Li went home HK $4,000.
Fide Master and Pinoy Bangkok, Thailand based Deniel Causo won HK $3,000 for settling fifth with a superior quotient in the group of 6.5 pointers that includes CM Zuo Yifan of China,FM Zhou Chen of China, GM Wong Meng Kong of Singapore and FM Luis Chan of Australia.
Earlier, the Mangatarem, Pangasinan native Pascua defeated Zhia Chen Zachary Lee of Malaysia in the first round, countryman and newly-installed Asean Master Michael Concio Jr. in the second round, Naohiro Nakamura of Japan in the third round then drew with Mirai Aoshima of Japan in the fourth round.
Pascua subdued FM Zou Chen of China in the fifth round and GM Zeng Chongsheng of China in the sixth round.
?I would like to dedicate my victory to my countrymen. It?s an honor to represent our country," said the 24-year-old Pascua, an Bachelor of Science Information Technology graduate student at the University of Baguio two years ago.
National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Vice President Atty. Cliburn Anthony A. Orbe hailed the triumph of Pascua.
"This proves once again that Filipinos can be at par with the world's best woodpusher athletes. With ample training and preparation, we can even become top contender in the world stage like Wesley So," said Orbe, also a Philippine executive champion.
This year's Philippine Open winner Pascua already completed his three (3) required grandmaster norm/results. The PSC-Puregold International Chess Challenge Open in December 2014, 5th HD Bank Cup International Open in March 2015 and 22nd Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival Masters in August 2015 and just needs to bring his FIDE (World Chess Federation) rating over 2500 to get the full title. His present rating is 2424. There is no deadline to reach the 2500 Elo rating.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Marlon Bernardino.
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