International Master John Marvin Miciano battled second seed Grandmaster Jorden Van Foreest of the Netherlands to a draw in 57 moves of a King’s Indian Attack and ended up 12th in the 22nd Hogeschool Zeeland chess tournament in Vlissingen, Netherlands on Saturday night.
The 17-year-old Miciano actually finished tied for 11th alongside nine other chessers with 6.5 points but landed 12th overall after the tiebreaker was applied, one slot higher than the fancied Van Foreest, who was 13th.
The performance came nine days after the Far Eastern University top board player checked in an 11th-place performance in the 44th Open Internacional d-Escacs Vila De Sitges in Spain.
That same group included GM Jayson Gonzales, Miciano’s coach who eked out a marathon 105-move draw with India’s IM P Shyaamnikhil in an English duel to also end up with 6.5 points.
Woman Grandmaster Janelle Frayna was not as fortunate as she lost to Dutch IM Casper Schoppen and slipped to 45th for 5.5 points.
The three, whose trip is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and FEU, headed straight to join the Bruges Masters 2018 in Bruges, Belgium that unfolded last night.
After the Belgium tilt, they will proceed to Malaysia for the Malaysian Open next week before flying back home.
(Kristel Satumbaga)
