Paragua rules 1st Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr. Cup Open Rapid Chess Championships

Top finishers:

Champion: GM Mark Paragua (6.5 points)
1st Runner-up: GM-elect Ronald Dableo (6.0)
2nd Runner-up: GM Darwin Laylo (6.0)
3rd Runner-up: GM Rogelio Antonio, Jr. (5.5)
4th Runner-up(?): NM Ronald Llavanes (5.5)
5th Runner-up(?): NM Dennis Gutierrez (5.5)

Category winners:

Romy Fagon (7.0) - Under 16
Heirry Manoloto (6.5) - Under 12


By: Marlon Bernardino

GM Mark Callano Paragua turned back National Master (NM) Haridas Pascua in the seventh and final round in to snare the title and the top prize of P10,000 in the just concluded inaugural Gov. Amado T. Espino Jr. Cup Open Rapid Chess Championships held at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center in Lingayen, Pangasinan, over the weekend.

The Tondo, Manila born Paragua, the 2003 Southeast Asian Games most bemedalled athlete prevailed with the white pieces after 40 moves of Reti Opening to finish undefeated in the two-day (October 24 and 25) tournament with a total 6.5 points on account of six wins and a draw, organized by Menard Pulido, the founder/ Executive Vice President, Pangasinan Chess Association; Vice President-NAPCA Northern Luzon, Vice President PACE Northern Luzon and Coordinator of NCFP in Pangasinan.

After winning the first three rounds against the local player here in Pangasinan, Paragua subdued NM Allan Macalla in the fourth, drew with fellow GM Rogelio “Joey”Antonio Jr., in the fifth, then toppled Dick Gicain in the sixth before humbling NM Pascua in the seventh round enroute to the championship’s trophy.

“Suwerte lamang po,” said the 2009 Asian Indoor games qualifying round champion Paragua, the first Filipino to reach super grandmaster status, who is aiming to put the Philippines in the world chess map once again as he tries to break the Guinness simultaneous chess world record on December 26 to 27, 2009 at the historic Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.

Meanwhile,Grandmasters (GMs) Darwin Laylo and Ronald Dableo settled second and third placers with 6.0 points each followed by fourth placer GM Antonio with 5.5 points here in Gov. Espino chess. Also with 5.5 points were National Masters (NMs) Ronald Llavanes and Dennis Gutierrez.

Romy Fagon (7.0 points) captured the 16-year-old and below while Heirry Manoloto (6.5 points) won the 12-yeard-old and below.