By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Michael Concio, Jr. and Eric Labog Jr. downed their respective opponents in the ninth and last round to finish in the top five of the Asian Juniors Chess Championships at the Knights of Templar Hotel in Tagaytay City Friday, Nov. 25.
Concio, 17, trounced fellow International Master Saha Neelash of India to finish second with 6.5 points while Labog, 19, bested FIDE Master Daniel Hermawan Tobing of Indonesia to wind up at No. 5 with six points.
IM G B Harshavardhan of India split the point with IM Sugar Gan-Erdene of Mongolia to rule the event with seven points.
While Concio took home the runner-up trophy, Labog claimed the IM title after he breached the required 2200 plateau by earning a whopping 124.8 rating points to reach that status.
“Sa direct title ay need mo lang mapataas ang standard Elo rating mo sa 2200 para makumpleto ang IM title status,” said Labog’s coach FM Roel Abelgas.
Concio needed to win his last three games, including one at the expense of FM Daniyal Sapenov of Kazakhstan in the penultimate round to cap his impressive finish in this tournament bankrolled by Tagaytay City Mayor and Philippine Olympic Committee president Bambol Tolentino and National Chess Federation of the Philippines vice-president and Cavite Vice Governor Athena Tolentino.
But the Dasmariñas City native ended up unbeaten with four wins and five draws to salvage second place.
Barging into the top 10 was another Filipino, Mark Jay Bacojo, who held IM Ramesh Avinash of India to a draw to end up with 5.5 points.
