LATEST NEWS ON FILIPINO MASTERS IN EUROPE

PINOY FM VIRGILIO VUELBAN TOPS ROME, ITALY CHESS

FILIPINO FIDE Master Virgilio Vuelban made the country proud anew after winning the International Chess Festival dubbed as the Festival Scacchi dei Castelli Romani e Prenestini in Rome, Italy last August 17 to 19.

Vuelban, who hails from Cagayan de Oro City finished undefeated in six games on account of five wins, a draw to gain a total of 5.5 points and accumulate a TPR (Total Performance Rating) of 2720.

Vuelban is currently No.36 in RP-Fide rating list with 2332 against top seed GM Oleg Korneev (Elo rating 2565) of Russia and GM Milko Povchev of Bulgaria.

"Napakaganda ng performance ko dito sa International Open sa Rome, Italy, tinalo ko ang tatlong GM at isa dito ay si GM Korneev, tuloy-tuloy ang kampanya ko dito sa Europa para ma fulfill ko ang dream ko na makamit ang International Master title at pinaka huli ang Grandmaster title. Bilib din ako sa performance nina Rolly (Martinez), Roland (Salvador) sa Bratto, Italy maging si Joseph (Sanchez) na lumalahok naman sa Paris, France" said Vuelban, a former Philippine Navy Chess team standout in a long distance interview late Saturday.

Last Saturday, IM Rolly Martinez for settled fourth place with 6.5 points to receive fourth prize, 600 euros and his first GM norm/ results in the 27th International Chess Festival in Bratto, Italy. Another Filipino entry IM Roland Salvador finished with 5.5 points to join 16 other player in this FIDE 9 round Swiss-system tournament which featured some of the world best player which attracted 120 player's field.

Eventual champion GM Vladimir Burmakin of Russia, who beat IM Martinez in the ninth and final round took the championship's trophy plus top prize 1,500 euros after edging fellow GM Miso Cebalo of Croatia in the tie break points as the former(Burmakin) tallied 46.5 points against the latter's (Cebalo) 44.5 points. The duo finished with 7.0 points each in nine games of play.

Final Standings: 68 player's field/ 6 round Swiss-system

5.5 points---FM Virgilio Vuelban (PHILIPPINES)

5.0 points---GM Igors Rausis (Czech Republic), IM Milan Mrdja (Croatia)

4.5 points---GM Oleg Korneev (Russia), GM Igor Naumkin (Russia), IM Bogomil Andonov (Bulgaria), GM Milko Povchev (Bulgaria),

(Report from MARLON BERNARDINO)