Vietnam GM captures crown; PH's Paragua, Gomez joint 3rd

Final Standings:
7.5 points---GM Le Quang Liem (Vietnam)
7.0 points---GM Lu Shanglei (China)
6.5 points---GM Zhou Jianchao (China), GM Mark Paragua (Philippines),GM Ferenc Berkes (Hungrary), GM    Li Shilong (China), GM    Yu Ruiyuan (China), IM    Zeng Chongsheng (China), GM Zhou Weiqi (China), GM John Paul Gomez (Philippines)
6.0 points---GM Oliver Barbosa (Philippines), GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son (Vietnam),  IM Nguyen Huynh Minh Huy (Vietnam), IM    Lou Yiping (China), IM    Oliver Dimakiling (Philippines)

Top seed GM Le Quang Liem of Vietnam split the point with second seed GM Ferenc Berkes of Hungrary to capture the title even as Filipino GMs Mark Paragua and John Paul Gomez finished a fighting third in the  3rd HD Bank Cup International Open Chess Tournament 2013 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, over the weekend.

Le, the highest-rated player in the field with an ELO of 2709, halved the point with Berkes with an ELO of 2702 after 31 moves of Queen's Pawn Game in the final round to clinch the title with 7.5 points on six wins and three draws.

GM Lu Shanglei of China toppled GM Oliver Barbosa of the Philippines after 37 moves of Caro-kann defense settled for runner-up honors with seven points.

Paragua, meantime drew with GM Zhou Weiqi of China after 31 moves of another Queen's Pawn skirmish while Gomez crushed IM Nguyen Duc Hoa of Vietnam after 44 moves of Queen's Indian defense to finish in a eight-way tie for third place with Weiqi, Berkes, GMs Zhou Jianchao,  Li Shilong,  Yu Ruiyuan and IM Zeng Chongsheng of China with 6.5 points each.

Barbosa setback remains at 6.0 points, the same output of IM Oliver Dimakiling, who upset GM Tu Hoang Thong of Vietnam after 28 moves of Trompovsky Opening.

Other Filipino bets in the US$30,000 Nine Round Swiss-system tournament are no.25 GM Darwin Laylo (5.5 points), no.28 GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. (5.5 points), no.35 FM Paulo Bersamina (5.0 points), no. 37 FM Haridas Pascua (5.0 points), no.38 GM Richard Bitoon (5.0 points), no.68 NM Stewart Manaog (4.0 points), no.89 NM Nelson Villanueva (3.0 points) and no.91 Jimson Bitoon (3.0 points).

The Filipino woodpushers Vietnam campaign are supported by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Chairman/President Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr., Secretary-General Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino Jr., Executive Director GM Jayson Gonzales, Grass Roots Development Program Head and Bayan Muna Party-List Rep. Neri Javier Colmenares, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Ricardo Garcia and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Jose "Peping" Cojuangco Jr.        -Marlon Bernardino-