FILIPINO TOPS KL CHESS; BARBOSA, BITOON EARNS THIRD GM NORM; OLAY CLINCHES THIRD IM NORM
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 11 Sep 2011
Final standings: (round-robin event)
7.0 points---IM Oliver Barbosa (Philippines)
6.5 points---IM Jahongir Vakhidov (Uzbekistan), IM Richard Bitoon (Philippines)
5.5 points---IM Das Arghyadip (India)
4.5 points---GM Tahir Vakhidov (Uzbekistan)
4.0 points---IM Goh Wei Ming (Singapore)
3.5 points--- IM Nguyen Van Huy (Vietnam)
3.0 points---GM Nguyen Anh Dung (Vietnam)
2.5 points--- IM Mas Hafizulhelmi (Malaysia)
2.0 points---GM Wong Meng Kong (Singapore)
Final standings: (swiss-System event)
7.5 points---IM Nguyen Doc Hoa (Vietnam)
6.5 points---IM Oliver Dimakiling (Philippines), NM Edgar Reggie Olay (Philippines), IM Tirta Purnama Chandra (Indonesia), IM Kim Steven Yap (Philippines), IM Yves Ranola (Philippines), IM Liu Qingnan (China)
6.0 points---GM Susanto Megaranto (Indonesia), IM Rolando Nolte (Philippines)
PHILIPPINES newest chess grandmaster Oliver Barbosa won the overall title in the DYTM Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah Invitational Masters being held at the Swiss Garden Hotel & Residences in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Saturday.
The Taytay, Rizal native finished with 7.0 points to bag the overall title and the 4,000 RM prize that goes with it. The former University of the Philippines top player Barbosa, who achieved his third and final Grandmaster norm in the eight settled a truce with former Asian junior champion Vietnamese GM Nguyen Anh Dung in the ninth and final round.
The event was organized by Fide Master Peter Long in close cooperation with DYTM Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah, Dato' Sri Edmund Santhara, KLCA and MEGB Group Chess and sanctioned by the World Chess Federation (FIDE).
?Once again our flag has been raised in this foreign land,? said National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Chairman/President Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr.
Another Filipino entry Richard Bitoon of Medellin, Cebu won over Uzbek GM Tahir Vakhidov in the ninth and final round to earn his third and final GM norm.
Bitoon and IM Jahongir Vakhidov of Uzbekistan finished second and third with 6.5 points each. Vakhidov achieved his first ever Grandmaster norm when he drew quickly with Singapore Grandmaster Wong Meng Kong.
"Nagpapasalamat kami ni Oliver sa tulong ni NCFP chairman/president (Prospero) Pichay at PSC chairman (Ricardo) Garcia sa kampanya namin dito sa KL chess," said Bitoon, a former top player of Southwestern University.
According to Pichay, Barbosa and Bitioon, needed to wait their full-fledge GM title status to discuss in the next FIDE congress to join the elite circle of Filipino GMs, including Eugene Torre, Rogelio "Joey" Antonio Jr., Buenaventura "Bong" Villamayor, Nelson Mariano II, Mark Paragua, Wesley So, Darwin Laylo, Jayson Gonzales, John Paul Gomez, Joseph Sanchez, Roland Salvador, Rogelio "Banjo" Barcenilla Jr., Julio Catalino Sadorra and the late Rosendo Balinas Jr.
In the swiss-System competition, IM Nguyen Doc Hoa of Vietnam split the point with Philippines newest International Master Edgar Reggie Olay to scored 7.5 points and enroute the coveted title.
The Davao-Kidapawan based Olay, whose stint here is backed up by Atty. Dan Calica and Cotabato Gov. Lala Talio-Mendoza who secured his third and final International Master (IM) norm in the penultimate round finished with 6.5 points, the same output of compatriots IM Oliver Dimakiling of Davao City, IM Kim Steven Yap of Cebu City and IM Yves Ranola of Caloocan City, IM Tirta Purnama Chandra of Indonesia and IM Liu Qingnan of China.
The former San Pedro College standout Olay, needed to improve his ELO rating 2303 to 2400 though to become a full-pledged IM.
Pichay Jr., congratulated Barbosa, Bitoon and Olay for their latest feat.
?I?m proud and happy to announce that we have a new grandmaster in Oliver and Richard and a new international master in Reggie,? said Pichay. "This proves once again that the Filipino can be at par with the world's best woodpushers," last word of Pichay.
Photo: Newest Filipino Grandmaster Oliver Barbosa of Taytay, Rizal receiving his prize from DYTM Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah for winning the Masters with Dato' Sri Edmund Santhara, KLCA President & MEGB Group Chess Executive looking on.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Marlon Bernardino.
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