Top seed GM in good start Yeoh, 13, and Bersamina, 16, surprise GMs

GM of the Philipopines won the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Cup International cham- pionship held 13-21 January 2013 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Rizal Me- GM Wesley So of the (right) and GM Dao Thien Hai of Vietnam morial Sports Complex in Manila with make the ceremonial moves opening the Asian Zone 3.3 Chess Championship 7.5 points out of 9 rounds. at the Tagaytay International Convention Center. Looking on are, from left, Ma- laysia’s Peter Long, NCFP Executive Director GM Jayson Gonzales, NCFP Di- Paragua received the top prize of rector Judge Boyet Mapili, Tagaytay City Mayor and NCFP Secretary General US$6,000 in the US$30,000 SMART- Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino Jr., NCFP Treasurer Red Dumuk, Dang Tat sponsored tournament hosted by the Thang of Vietnam, GM , Indonesia’s Kris Liem and Philippine Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) FIDE Delegate Casto Abundo, Deputy President of the Asian Chess Federation headed by it's Chairman Ricardo Gar- By Marlon Bernardino cia and organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines The Philippines’ top chess player, GM Wesley So (2682), had a good start in the (NCFP) headed by it's Chairman / Asian Zone 3.3 Chess Championship at the Tagaytay International Convention President Prospero A. Pichay Jr. , Center in Tagaytay City. Secretary-General and Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham 'Bambol' Tolentino Jr. The 19-year-old Bacoor, native, the country’s highest-ranked player and and Executive Director Jayson Gonza- the tournament’s top seed with an Elo rating of 2682, took a break from his stud- les. ies at Webster University in the United States to compete in the event hosted by Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino Jr. and the city council. So GM and youthful FM beat Rustum Tolentino of Cagayan de Oro City (ELO 2364) after 28 moves from Haridas Pascua tallied 7.0 points each the white side of a Queens Pawn Game. to split the $7,000 prize for second and third placers. In other matches, second seed GM Nguyen Ngoc Truongson (2631) of Vietnam beat FM Rudin Hamdani of Indonesia in 49 moves of a French Defense. (cont.) (cont.) US based GM Rogelio 'Banjo' Barcenilla Jr. (ELO 2483) defeated NM Rolando Andador of Talisay, Ne- gros Occidental (ELO 2326) after 53 moves of Slav defense.

Surprises of the opening round were the strong showing of 13-year-old Yeoh Li Thian of Malaysia who held GM John Paul Gomez of the Philip- pines to a after 51 moves of Slav duel, and the draw by FM Paulo Bersamina of the Philippines (2206) vs GM Cao Sang of Vietnam (2488).

Unheralded Ben Palao of the Philip- Two teenagers hold sea- pines (2091) upset GM Richard Bi- soned GMs to draws. toon of Cebu, Philippines (2411) in 47 At left, 16-year-old. moves of a Sicilian defense. Above, 13-year-old Yeoh The Women’s zonal has 18 players Li Thian of Malaysia from four countries vying for the single held GM John Paul slot for the Women’s World Champi- Gomez of the Philip- onship. pines to a draw.

Visit chess-results.com for games. Left, Paolo Bersamina, 16, of the Philippines held GM Cao Sang of 3.3 ZONAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP Vietnam to a draw. Open Division Round 1 on 2013/01/22 at 1600H Bo. SNo. Name IRtg FED Pts Res. Pts Name IRtg FED SNo. 1 1 GM So Wesley 2682 PHI 0 1 - 0 0 Tolentino Rustum 2364 PHI 21 2 22 FM Hamdani Rudin 2357 INA 0 0 - 1 0 GM 2631 VIE 2 3 3 GM Antonio Rogelio Jr 2541 PHI 0 1 - 0 0 Olay Edgar Reggie 2353 PHI 23 4 24 IM Farid Firman Syah 2338 INA 0 ½ ½ 0 GM Dao Thien Hai 2531 VIE 4 5 5 GM Megaranto Susanto 2529 INA 0 1 - 0 0 FM Tran Tuan Minh 2306 VIE 26 6 27 Sarip Roger 2284 PHI 0 0 - 1 0 IM Gundavaa Bayarsaikhan 2522 MGL 6 7 7 GM Gomez John Paul 2520 PHI 0 ½ ½ 0 Yeoh Li Tian 2278 MAS 28 8 29 Yu Manny 2274 PHI 0 0 - 1 0 GM Paragua Mark 2519 PHI 8 9 9 IM Nguyen Van Huy 2504 VIE 0 ½ ½ 0 FM Turqueza Mari Joseph 2256 PHI 31 10 32 Mariano Nelson Iii 2251 PHI 0 ½ ½ 0 IM Nguyen Duc Hoa 2495 VIE 10 11 11 GM Laylo Darwin 2491 PHI 0 1 - 0 0 FM Bilguun Sumiya 2213 MGL 33 12 34 FM Bersamina Paulo 2206 PHI 0 ½ ½ 0 GM Cao Sang 2488 VIE 12 13 13 GM Torre Eugenio 2485 PHI 0 + - - 0 Gotel Michael 2161 PHI 35 14 36 Paez Alfredo 2151 PHI 0 ½ ½ 0 IM Nolte Rolando 2460 PHI 15 15 16 IM Dimakiling Oliver 2427 PHI 0 ½ ½ 0 Amgalanbaatar Ravdanlkhumbuu 2097 MGL 37 16 38 Polao Ben 2091 PHI 0 1 - 0 0 GM Bitoon Richard 2411 PHI 17 17 18 IM Nadera Barlo A. 2392 PHI 0 1 - 0 0 Pagente Adelardo 0 PHI 40 18 41 Usman Sarangani 0 PHI 0 0 - 1 0 FM Pascua Haridas 2386 PHI 19 19 20 FM Munkhgal Gombosuren 2372 MGL 0 1 - 0 0 Visca Jayson 0 PHI 42 20 39 Grepo Roberto 0 PHI 0 0 - 1 0 Villanueva Nelson 2268 PHI 30 21 14 GM Barcenilla Rogelio 2483 PHI 0 1 - 0 0 Andador Rolando 2326 PHI 25 3.3 ZONAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP Women's Division Round 1 on 2013/01/22 at 1600H Bo. SNo. Name IRtg FED Pts Res. Pts Name IRtg FED SNo. 1 9 WIM Hoang Thi Nhu Y 2245 VIE 0 0 - 1 0 IM Munguntuul Batkhuyag 2453 MGL 1 2 2 WGM Pham Le Thao Nguyen 2426 VIE 0 1 - 0 0 WFM Dewi Aa Citra 2180 INA 10 3 11 WIM Perena Catherine 2153 PHI 0 0 - 1 0 WGM Batchimeg Tuvshintugs 2323 MGL 3 4 4 WGM Hoang Thi Bao Tram 2322 VIE 0 1 - 0 0 WFM Jose Rulp Ylem 2026 PHI 12 5 13 Galas Bernadette 1996 PHI 0 0 - 1 0 WIM Medina Warda Aulia 2309 INA 5 6 6 WGM Nguyen Thi Thanh An 2279 VIE 0 1 - 0 0 WFM San Diego Marie Antoinette 1923 PHI 14 7 15 WFM Fisabilillah Ummi 1853 INA 0 ½ ½ 0 WIM Nguyen Thi Mai Hung 2272 VIE 7 8 8 WIM Sihite Chelsie Monica 2264 INA 0 1 - 0 0 Tambasen Mary Grace 1825 PHI 16