So wins 3rd Battle of GMs

Wesley So claims 3rd Battle of GMs
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 06/02/2010 7:29 PM Updated as of 06/02/2010 7:29 PM

MANILA, Philippines – Grandmaster (GM) Wesley So scored back-to-back wins in the last 2 rounds to capture his 3rd Battle of GMs crown at the Character Hotel in Tagaytay City on Wednesday.

So defeated International Masters (IM) Oliver Dimakiling and Ronald Dableo in rounds 10 and 11 to take home the P200,000 top prize.

The 16-year-old So finished the tournament with a total of 8.5 points. The 11-round event was organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) in cooperation with Phoenix Petroleum and the Tagaytay City government.

Dresden Olympiad veteran GM John Paul Gomez, who took a bye in the 10th round then split the point with IM Richard Bitoon, settled for 2nd over-all with 7.5 points.

Twelve-time RP Open champion GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. and US-based IM Julio Catalino Sadorra settled for a tie for 3rd place after tallying 7 points each.

Antonio defeated IM Rolando Nolte in the 10th before getting a bye in the last round.

Sadorra, on the other hand, defeated Fide Master (FM) Jan Emmanuel Garcia in the 10th, then walloped FM Haridas Pascua in the 11th.

Laylo landed at 5th place with 6 points.

In the distaff side, Far Eastern University (FEU) standout Rulp Ylem Jose went home with the women’s title with 8.5 points, just half a point ahead of woman National Master (WNM) Chardine Cheradee Camacho, who had 8 points. — by Marlon Bernardino

Final standings

Men

8.5 points – W. So
7.5 – J. Gomez7.0 – R. Antonio, J. Sadorra
6.0 – D. Laylo
4.5 – R. Nolte4.0 – R. Dableo, R. ,Bitoon
3.5 – H.Pascua
2.0 – O. Dimakiling
1.0 – J. Garcia