Sunday, January 1, 2012

...the young woodpushers in Singapore

Pinoy chessers win gold in Singapore tourney

 01/01/2012



MANILA, Philippines - Young Filipino woodpushers bagged 9 medals at the recent Singapore International Chess Festival at the Jurong East Sports Complex in Singapore.\


Michelle Yaon of Calamba City, Laguna, split the point with Sushmitha G of India to finish with 6.5 points in 8 games and complete a wire-to-wire win in the Girls under-17 category for the coveted gold medal.


"Alay ko po sa bayan itong gintong medalya," Yaon said after her victory.


Dennis Gutierrez III of San Fabian, Pangasinan scored a crucial victory over Jiddan Firman of Indonesia to top the Open U-8 division with 8 points.


Fide Master Paulo Bersamina of Pasay City capped the country's domination in the Open U-14 with a victory against Ooi Zhi Yang of Singapore to finish with 8 points and run away with the title with a full-point margin over compatriot Jerad Docena of Bohol.


Docena settled for silver in the Open U-14.


Meanwhile, Vince Angelo Medina, a student of Far Eastern University, halved the point with Jodi Setyaki Azarya of Indonesia to finish with 7.0 points and capture the Open U-17 title.


Marc Christian Nazario of Quezon City won the bronze medal in the Open U-17; Julius Gonzales of Marikina City won the bronze medal in the Open U-11; Fiona Geeweneth Guirhem of Iloilo won the bronze in the Girls U-11 and Mae Ann Joy Baclayon of Misamis Oriental won the bronze in the Girls U-8 category.


"Magandang senyales ito para sa mga young chess players natin. They showed na kaya nilang makipagsabayan and manalo sa international competitions," said National Chess Federation of the Philippines chairman and president Prospero Pichay Jr.


Meanwhile, Grand Master Richard Bitoon finished tied for second in the 2nd ASEAN Men Campomanes Cup along with GM Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia and International Master Nguyen Van Huy of Vietnam.


All 3 chessers finished with 6 points, just behind the champion, GM Cao Sang of Vietnam who ended up with 6.5 points.


There were disappointments elsewhere.


Woman Fide Master Marie Antoinette San Diego failed to live up to her top billing in the Girls U-14 and finished with only 5 points in the 9-round event, 2 points behind the winner, WFM Najihan Hisham Nur of Singapore.


San Diego was half a point behind compatriot Shania Mae Mendoza. - by Marlon Bernardino

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