GRANDMASTER Mark Callano Paragua kept the Philippine flag flying high in the international stage by winning the 1st Annual Marshall Chess Club New York International Chess Championships last June 25 at the World-Famous Marshall Chess Club in New York City, USA.
The 2003 Vietnam Southeast Asian Games most be-medalled athlete with three golds defeated fellow GM Alejandro Ramirez of Costa Rica in the Armageddon Blitz play off to pocket the top purse of $4,000 in this event which lured by 8 GMs, 12 IMs, and 4 FMs.
Ramirez, on the other hand received a runner-up purse of $3,750. Actually, Paragua and Ramirez with identical 6.5 points after nine games of play, forced a tie breaker for the championships' trophy using the Armageddon Blitz play off.
Paragua, whose stint here is being supported by US based immigration lawyer Geronimo "Gerry" Albano, split the point with Liu Elliot of the United States in the last round while Ramirez trounced GM Sergey Erenburg of Israel. Elliot earned IM norm after finishing with 6.0 points, the same output of GMs Jaan Ehlvest and Julio Becerra of the United States and IM Eli Vovsha of Israel. Elliot, Ehlvest, Becerra and Vovsha receive $625 each. If Elliot beat Paragua he can achieve a GM norm according to the report of official website yesterday.
Mackenzie Molner of the US with 5.0 points likewise got his IM norm. Meanwhile, another Filipino entry IM Renato Naranja is joint 29th place with 3.5 points.
contributed by MARLON BERNARDINO, edited by jovie sison
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