FIDE Officially Confers Two New Pinoy GMs
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 01 Nov 2011
New GMs Barbosa (L) and Bitoon.
MANILA---OLIVER Barbosa (2571) and Richard Bitoon (2515) were officially conferred the Grandmaster (GM) title by FIDE, the World Chess Federation, in 82nd FIDE Congress 2011 in Krakow, Poland last October 15 to 22.
The Taytay, Rizal native Barbosa was conferred the title on the basis of his performance in the DYTM Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah Invitational Masters at the Swiss Garden Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last September.
The former University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman mainstay Barbosa settled for a truce with former Asian junior champion GM Nguyen Anh Dung of Vietnam in the last round to notch 7 points and bagged the overall title and the 4,000 RM prize and earning his third and final grandmaster norm.
"Nagpapasalamat po kami ni Richard (Bitoon) kay chairman (Butch) Pichay kasi kung hindi dahil sa kanya hindi namin nakamit ang pangarap namin na GM title," said Barbosa who is scheduled to represent the country in the upcoming Southeast Asian Games 2nd week of November in Indonesia.
The ex-Southwestern University stalwart Bitoon, who hails fom Medellin, Cebu, on the other hand, earned his third and final GM norm also during the DYTM Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah Invitational Masters after beating Uzbek GM Tahir Vakhidov in the ninth round to finish second to 3rd places along with IM Jahongir Vakhidov of Uzbekistan after accumulating 6.5 points apiece.
Barbosa and Bitoon, both joined the elite circle of Filipino GMs that includes 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.
With this development, PHL now has 16 GM in the FIDE roster list.
National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) chairman/president Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. eyeing to produce four (4) more GM next year for a possible to stage our own zonal championships.
"Target natin ma hit y'ung 20 grandmaster next year para puwede nating ilapit sa World Chess Federation (FIDE) na magkaroon na ng sariling zonal championships ang Pilipinas," said sportsman/businessman Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Senador of Iloilo province was also conferred his International Master title. Edmon Grey Prado of Quezon City was also conferred his International Arbiter (IA) title.
In the latest Philippine-FIDE rating list this month of November, Barbosa climbed at no. 2 spot with an Elo rating of 2571, with country's top rated So still on top with 2659. 12-time national open champion Antonio Jr.at 3rd place with 2557.
Other Filipino woodpushers who made it to the top 15 are no.4 Paragua (2522), No.5 Sanchez (2518), No.6 Bitoon (2515) No.7 Sadorra (2506), No.8 Gomez (2506), No.9 Laylo (2502), No.10. Torre (2502), No.11 Barcenilla (2501), No.12 Salvador (2500), No.13 IM Rolando Nolte (2455), No.14 Villamayor (2440) and No.15 IM Oliver Dimakiling (2432).
Meantime, Super GM Magnus Carlsen of Norway (2826) remains no. 1 in the World?s Top 100 accumulating 2826 points. Super GM Judit Polgar of Hungrary dominated the distaff side with 2710.
Super GM Fabiano Caruana of Italy (2727) and GM Yifan You of China (2568) both led the World?s Top Junior and Top 20 Girls list, respectively. Our very own super GM Wesley So (2659) listed no. 89 in the world and no.5 in the World?s Top Junior.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Marlon Bernardino.
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