Dableo earns GM norm

Dableo earns GM norm in Malaysian chess tilt
abs-cbnNEWS.com 08/30/2009 12:28 AM

MANILA – Filipino International Master (IM) Ronald Dableo beat Indon Grandmaster Susanto Megaranto to earn his third GM norm in the ninth and final round of the 2009 Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Friday.

Dableo used the disadvantageous black pieces to beat Megaranto. He thus earned 7.0 points to tie with Indian GM Parimarjan Negi at top place of the competition.

Negi, however, won the overall championship trophy after edging Dableo through tie break points (49.5 points against 48 points).

Dableo won his first GM norm after winning the 2003 Asian Zonal qualifying round in Vietnam. He scored his second norm three years later in the 2006 PGMA Cup.

Dableo, who has an ELO rating of 2417, would now only need to increase his rating to 2500 to formally join RP’s elite group of GMs which includes Eugene Torre, Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr., Buenaventura “Bong” Villamayor, Nelson Mariano II, Mark Paragua, Wesley So, Darwin Laylo, Jayson Gonzales, John Paul Gomez, Joseph Sanchez, Rogelio Barcenilla and the late Rosendo Balinas Jr.

Meanwhile, IM Emanuel Senador faltered against eventual overall champion Negi during their final round match up.

Senador was leading the pack with 6.5 points after the eighth round. He, however, failed to progress after losing to the Indian GM.

National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. hailed the performance of Dableo and Senador in the Malaysian chess tilt.

“Ronald (Dableo) and Emmanuel (Senador) and company once again brought honor to the country. Their victory serves as an inspiration to the nation particularly to the Filipino youth pawnpushers,” said Pichay Jr.

Marlon Bernardino

Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com