Paragua Qualifies to World Cup; Li Tops Pacquiao Asian Chess

by Marlon Bernardino


Final Standings:


7.0 points GM Li Chao (China)
6.5 points GM Mark Paragua (Philippines), GM Oliver Barbosa (Philippines), GM Le Quang Liem (Vietnam), GM Baskaran Adhiban (India)
6.0 points---GM Julio Catalino Sadorra (Philippines)...


Manila--- Filipino Grandmaster (GM) Mark Paragua earned a qualification in the $100,000 Manny Pacquiao Cup Asian Continental Chess Championship at the Midas Hotel and Casino on Sunday.


Paragua drew with eventual champion Chinese GM Li Chao after 15 moves of Slav defense in the ninth and final round of the Asian Continental Chess Championship for a sure spot in the World Cup, which begins in August in Norway.


The undefeated Tondo, Manila born Paragua finished with a total output of 6.5 points on four wins and five draws in the tournament organized by the GM Eugene Torre Chess Foundation and is sponsored by eight-division world boxing champion and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao, Cafe Puro, Alaxan, Oriental and Motolite Corp.


"Masaya po ako kasi muli na naman tayo nakapasok sa World Cup," said Paragua.
Li, on the other hand finished with a total output of 7.0 points to enroute the coveted chess title in the event held under the auspices of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines headed by it's Chairman/President Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr., Secretary-General newly-elected Cavite 7th district Rep. Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino Jr., Asian Chess Federation and FIDE (World Chess Federation). 


Paragua will be joining fellow Filipino GMs Oliver Barbosa and Wesley So, who won a Chess Cup qualification through the 2012 Asian Continental Chess (ACC) Championship last May in Vietnam and 2013  Asian Zone 3.3 Chess Championship last January in Tagaytay, respectively.


Also with 6.5 points are Barbosa, top seed GM Le Quang Liem of Vietnam, GM Baskaran Adhiban of India and GM Krishnan Sasikiran of India who also made it to the main draw of World Cup.


Le split the point with Barbosa after 17 moves of Slav defense while Adhiban defeated GM John Paul Gomez after 22 moves of French defense and  Sasikiran beat GM Marat Dzhumaev of Uzbekistan after 60 moves of Sicilian defense.

US based GM Julio Catalino Sadorra bested GM Dao  Thien Hai of Vietnam after 34 moves ng Slav defense to led the group of 6.0 pointers.


Sadorra, a senior business administration student at University of Texas-Dallas had a chance to qualified to World Cup if the game between Sasikiran and Dzhumaev ended into a fighting draw and hope much better tie break in the six pointers.