GM PARAGUA TOPS ASEAN MASTER CHESS

PHOTO CAPTION: courtesy of indochess.com

The top three winners in the grandmaster (GM) B category: GM Mark Paragua of the Philippines (left), IM Ashot Nadanian of Armenia (center) and newly-installed GM Jayson Gonzales (right).


GM PARAGUA FLIES TO MOSCOW, RUSSIA TO COMPETE IN AEROFLOT OPEN CHESS

Final Standings: (Single round-robin format/ three division)

Group A

9 points—Z. Zhong (Singapore); 8 — Tirto (Indonesia);7.5 —S. Megaranto (Indonesia); 7—W. So (RP); 6.5 — E. Torre (RP); 6— C. Purnama (Indonesia); 4.5 —N. Ginting (Indonesia), M. Hafizulhelmi (Malaysia); 4.— H. Nouri (RP); 3.5 —C. Kosasih (Indonesia), N. Situru (Indonesia);2—B. Nadera (RP)

Group B

9 points—M. Paragua (RP); 7.5— A. Nadanian (Armenia), J. Gonzales (RP); 7— R. Nolte (RP); 6.5—S. Mahmud (Indonesia), S. Prayitno (Indonesia); 5—O. Barbosa (RP), S. Sitanggang (Indonesia); 4.5—C. Barus (Indonesia); 4— H. Ardiansyah (Indonesia); 3—T.M. Mk (Malaysia); 0.5—I.Sukandar (Indonesia)

WIM

10 points—I. Sadikin (Indonesia); 8.5—E. Handoko (Indonesia); 7.5— G. Chua (Singapore); 7— E. Lindiawati (Indonesia); 6.5— T.M. Hung (Vietnam), J. Tay (Singapore); 5— B.Mendoza (RP); 4.5— C.Bernales (RP); 3— V. Chan (Singapore), T. Handayani (Indonesia), N. Verdiana (Indonesia); 1.5—D. Citra (Indonesia)

GM MARK Paragua is this year's inaugural ASEAN Masters Chess Circuit grandmaster (GM) B event Champion was held in the Indonesian city of Tarakan in East Kalimantan (Borneo) on Sunday.

The 1998 World Rapid Disneyland, France champion finish with a total 9.0 points, including his eleventh and final round draw over Indon GM Cerdas Barus.

As a reward for his feat, National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. is planning to send the 23-year-old Quezon City based in the tough and world's strongest Open chess tournament in Moscow Russia dubbed as Aeroflot Open 2008 which is slated on February 13 to 23.

Aside from Paragua, currently world's youngest GM and 14-year-old Wesley So also competing according to Pichay.

This is the first time in RP chess history that two Filipino chess player will compete in the land of chess genius and known to be the home of the super chess power—Moscow, Russia.

"I'm planning to send Mark (Paragua) and Wesley (So) in the tough Aeroflot Open Chess in Moscow, Russia," said Pichay, who produce three grandmasters in his term---So, Darwin Laylo and Jayson Gonzales.

"Magandang event y'un (Aeroflot) at alam kong mahahasa sila at mapapasabak sa magagaling na player. Beside karamihang kasali ay mga Russian GM." added Pichay, also the biggest contribution in the RP chess aside producing grandmaster, staging numerous international tournament are cleansing and minimizing the "allegedly" rampant networking and game fixing that circulated from the non-master tournaments up to the higher-level.

"Yang networking at game fixing ay talagang top priority ko para malinis na natin ang RP chess, hindi kasi tayo mag go grow pag bigayan at nagtutulungan na lamang ang mga player. The "real" chess ay 'yung laban talaga walang bigayan." added Pichay, also warned the player who will do again such nasty things.

"Kahit top player pa natin wala tayong sasantuhin, para sa kanila din naman ito at ikabubuti nila." Pichay's referring no sacred cow.

Engineer Ricardo Paragua, coach/ manager of the young amiable Paragua is very happy with the plan of the Chess Federation boss.

"I'm very thankful to Cong. (Butch) Pichay for giving a chance to my son (Mark Paragua) to play in the Aeroflot 2008 in Moscow, Russia. But I hope na hindi mag conflict sa second leg ng Asean Master Chess Circuit next month sa Vung Tau, Vietnam, sayang kasi dahil may ranking points," the older Paragua referring the grand prix points of Asean Master Chess Circuit which opens in Indonesia then fly to Vietnam then goes to Singapore before wind off in the Philippines.

"Pero gustong-gusto talaga ni Mark (Paragua) na maglaro sa Aeroflot," added engineer Ric.

The (Asean Master Chess Circuit) Grand Prix Points formula is the number of stars of a tournament multiple by the individual Grand Prix Points awarded to a player. There will be an overall fund of Grand Prix Fund of US$ 25,000, and to qualify, players must participate in at least 3 or 50% minus one of the total number of legs.

Pichay, meanwhile are sending Gonzales, GMs Eugene Torre and Rogelio "Joey" Antonio Jr., GM candidate Julio Catalino Sadorra and former RP junior champion John Paul Gomez in the second leg of Asean Master Chess Circuit next month in Vungtau, Vietnam.

Tournament favorites GM Zhang Zhong (2671) of Singapore settled for a truce with GM Torre in the final round to dominate the grandmaster (GM) A category finishing with 9.0 points.

Indon IM Sadikin Irwanto, on the other hand clobbered compatriot Dewi AA CITRA to clinch the Women International Master (WIM) division crown with 10.0 points.


BRGY. MARIANA TOPS QC DISTRICT IV ELIMS MEET


PETER LIM and Vic Neil Villnueva hurdled their respective rivals to lift Barangay Mariana into a 2.5-1.5. victory over Barangay Sto. Nino in the seventh and final round to emerge over-all toptnocher in the Quezon City Inter Barangay District IV Chess Team Tournament was held at the Amoranto Sports SB Gym in Quezon City last Sunday.

Lim demolished Gerry Avila on board one while Villanueva trounced Santy Pacia on board four. Samson Lim held into a draw with Gracito Guarino on board three while Obet Labonera score's full point for Barangay Sto. Nino after shocking former Philippine junior champion Reinier Ternura on board three.

Barangay Mariana finish with 22.5 points to took the District IV title in this event sponsored by the office of Quezon City Majority Floor Leader and 4th district councilor Ariel Inton in close cooperation with QC mayor Sonny Belmonte and supervised by Chess Arbiters Association of the Philippines (CAAP) headed by international arbiter Gene Poliarco and media man Gatpayo Luz.

Barangay Mariana advanced in the championship round slated this year along with Barangays Old Capitol Site (20.5 points), Santol (19.0 points), Tatalon (17.5 points) and Dona Aurora (17.0 points).

Quezon City Majority Floor Leader and 4th district councilor Ariel Inton and Amoranto Sports Complex Administrator Andy Apostol led the closing rites. Youngest participant is 7-year-old Samson Lim III also from Barangay Mariana.

The tournament is open to all non-master players from Quezon City with a rating of 1900-below, is one of the sports tourism project of Majority Floor Leader and 4th district councilor Ariel Inton in close cooperation with QC mayor Sonny Belmonte.

The top five teams advancing to the championship round after the district elimination round. The finalists are guaranteed of at least P2,000. The other elimination schedules are as follows: District 3 on Feb. 16-17 at the Barangay Covered Court; District 2 on March 16-17 at the NDC Plaza; and District 1 on April 22-23 at the Quezon City Hall Path Walk. For inquiries, contact 0927-9668522 or 922-2913.

Contributed by MARLON BERNARDINO