Bitoon wins in dramatic last round, joins Barbosa as the Philippines latest tile holders
The DYTM Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah Invitational Masters proved a huge success with three grandmaster norms producing two new Grandmasters in Oliver Barbosa and Richard Bitoon from the Philippines and confirming one International Master in Uzbekistan’s Jahongir Vakhidov.
In a tense last round encounter where only a win would do, Bitoon, despite having the Black pieces, threw everything including the kitchen sink at his until then ultra solid and unbeaten opponent, Grandmaster Tahir Vakhidov to take the victory that won him the long overdue and well deserved Grandmaster title.
Earlier Johangir Vakhidov achieved his first ever Grandmaster norm to go along with the International Master title when he drew quickly with Singapore Grandmaster Wong Meng Kong.
Tahir Vakhidov – Richard Bitoon
Wong Meng Kong – Johangir VakhidovFinal standings:
1 IM Barbosa Oliver PHI 2538 – 7
2 IM Vakhidov Jahongir UZB 2392 – 6.5
3 IM Bitoon Richard PHI 2504 – 6.5
4 IM Das Arghyadip IND 2461 – 5.5
5 GM Vakhidov Tahir UZB 2485 – 4.5
6 IM Goh Wei Ming Kevin SIN 2449 – 4
7 IM Nguyen Van Huy VIE 2449 – 3.5
8 GM Nguyen Anh Dung VIE 2479 – 3
9 IM Mas Hafizulhelmi MAS 2413 – 2.5
10 GM Wong Meng Kong SIN 2355 – 2
Report by Peter Long
Congratulations! Must be a top-of-the-world feeling to finally become a grandmaster. But that is not enough. You must continue to improve and really become world-class.
Oliver Barbosa will become a 2600+ Grandmaster. He not only fights every game but seeks to learn from every game he plays by trying our new openings, methods of play, etc.
Richard Bitoon’s Grandmaster title is long overdue as he had been a stalwart of Philippine chess and a consistently top performer for many years. He was unlucky as when he was a rising star, Philippines chess lost its way and thanks to Prospero Pichay Jr. who took the helm of NCFP in recent years that things have been going from bad to great!