Dimakiling fails to gain 3rd GM norm
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 18 Jun 2022
MANILA---THE elusive GM norm continued to slip past Filipino International Master Oliver Dimakiling.
His lost to British Grandmaster Daniel Howard Fernandez in Round 8 was all it took to break Dimakiling’s momentum and dash all hopes to nail his third and final GM norm in this tournament, organized by the Singapore Chess Federation under the auspices of the World Chess Federation (FIDE).
The former La Salle standout was to face Myanmar's International Master Wynn Zaw Htun in Saturday's ninth and final round in the Grand Copthorne Professor Lim Kok Ann Invitational GM Tournament 2022 in Grand Copthorne Waterfront, Singapore.
The Dubai-based Dimakiling is aiming a better finish in this 10 player field, single round robin tournament after losing his GM title bid in the penultimate round.
The Davao City native Dimakiling split the point with Singaporean International Master Jagadeesh Siddharth in Friday's seventh round.
With one round to go, Singapore's newly minted Grandmaster Tin Jingyao has virtually clinched the title.
Tin Jingyao toppled compatriot Singaporean Woman Grandmaster Gong Qianyun and Australian International Master James Morris, respectively to raise his total 7.0 points.
Dimakiling and top seed Indian Grandmaster Adhiban B was tied at 2nd to 3rd places with 5.0 points apiece.
Zaw Htun, Morris and Fernandez were tied at 4th to 6th placers with 4.5 points each.
Dimakiling had earned his first GM norm when he finished as co-champion in the Dato Arthur Tan Malaysia Open Chess Championship in 2006. He obtained his second GM norm during the 2012 National Open Chess Championships dubbed as Battle of the GMs in Boracay.
A player needs to complete the required three norms and reach at least 2500 Elo rating once. Dimakiling has already accomplished the latter.
For a number of years, the country has been longing, thirsting, and wanting for another GM to come.
Since Torre achieved the GM feat in 1974, followed by Rosendo Balinas Jr in 1976, the much younger Rogelio Antonio Jr did his share in 1990.
Then a huge of next generation Filipino GMs came, starting in Year 2000 with the likes of Buenaventura Villamayor, Nelson Mariano II (2004), Mark Paragua (2005), Darwin Laylo (2007), Wesley So (2007), Jayson Gonzales (2008), John Paul Gomez (2008), Joseph Sanchez (2009), Rogelio Barcenilla (2009), Roland Salvador (2010), Julio Catalino Sadorra (2011), Oliver Barbosa (2011), Richard Bitoon (2011), and Enrico Sevillano (2012).-Marlon Bernardino-
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