International Master Ricky de Guzman emerged as the country’s best performer in the Open section of the just-ended 17th Asian Continental Chess Championships yesterday at the Tiara Hotel in Makati.
De Guzman, 57, drew his last two assignments to finish in 23rd place with 5 points after nine rounds.
He halved the point with IM Xu Yi of China and Grandmaster Abhimanyu Puranik of India to account for two of four draws he recorded. He won thrice and lost twice.
GM John Paul Gomez also wound up with 5 points, but placed 27th after the tiebreak was applied.
In the last two rounds, Gomez drew with GM Maghami Ehsan Ghaem of Iran and GM Tan Zhongyi, a former world women’s champion from China.
The other top Filipino finishers are IM Paulo Bersamina (4.5), 34th; GM Joey Antonio (4.5), 35th; Jerad Docena (4.5), 36th; and IM Oliver Dimakiling (4.5), 37th.
GM Wei Yi of China topped the event with 6.5 points, edging GM Amin Tabatabaei of Iran and GM Le Quang Liem of Vietnam via tiebreak.
GM Surya Shekhar Ganguly of India and GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son finished fourth and fifth to make the last bus to the World Cup slated next year in Russia.
Ganguly and Ngoc actually were tied with six other players, but had better tiebreak quotients.
In women’s play, the Philippines fared better with WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda and WGM Janelle Mae Fronda taking 16th and 18th places, respectively with similar 5 points.
The other finishers are WFM Shania Mae Mendoza (4), 24th; WCM Christy Lamiel Bernales (4), 26th; and WIM Catherine Secopito (4), 27th.
IM Rout Padmini of India edged WGM Gong Qianyun of Singapore via tiebreak to rule the women’s bracket with 7 points.
In solo third was IM Pham Le Thao Nguyen of Vietnam with 6.5 points. (Rey Bancod)
