Darwin strikes

BY: BOBBY ANG

(As published in Chess Piece, BusinessWorld, 28 February 2011)

Aeroflot Open "B"
Moscow, Russia
February 7-19, 2011

Leading Final Standings
1-3. GM Tigran Kotanjian ARM 2519, GM Darwin Laylo PHI 2516, GM Nikolai Kabanov RUS 2482, 7.0/9
4-8. GM Dorian Rogozenco ROU 2534, FM Pogos Nakhapetiane RUS 2469, GM Wen Yang CHN 2509, GM Pavel Smirnov RUS 2523, IM Aleksei Pridorozhni RUS 2543, 6.5/9
9-12. GM Alexei Gavrilov RUS 2484, Bayarsaikhan Gundavaa MGL 2493, FM Ovik Hayrapetian ARM 2344, Lu Shanglei CHN 2416, 6.0/9
13-28. Alexandr Predke RUS 2415, Hovhannes Gabuzyan ARM 2380, Vladimir Belous RUS 2497, GM Artur Gabrielian RUS 2543, IM Andrey Stukopin 2463, GM Davit G. Petrosian ARM 2485, IM Alexey Reshetnikov RUS 2478, GM Vasif Durarbeyli AZE 2504, IM Stanislav Bogdanovich UKR 2484, Dmitry Obolenskikh RUS 2467, GM Aleksandr Shimanov 2520, GM Alexei Iljushin RUS 2527, IM Richard Bitoon PHI 2461, GM Zhao Xue CHN 2494, GM Anuar Ismagambetov KAZ 2499, GM Arseny Alavkin RUS 2393, 5.5/9
Total of 106 players
Time Control: 90 minutes play to finish, with 30 seconds increment added after every move.

The traditional Aeroflot Open tournament in Moscow was composed of three main tournaments:

The "A" Open for players with ratings higher than 2550.
The "B" Open for players between 2300 to 2550.
The "C" Open for anyone whose rating is lower than 2300 (or unrated).

Filipino GM Darwin Laylo was in the "B" tournament. While weaker than the "A" Open, this "B" event was not a pushover either -- a total of 30 International Grandmasters (GMs) and 27 International masters (IMs) participated and made it very competitive.

GM Laylo finally broke out of his slump by tying for first in the "B" Open. His unbeaten 5-win 4-draw score of 7/9 was the same output registered by GMs Tigran Kotanjian (Armenia) and Nikolai Kabanov (Russia). The former came out first on tie break with Darwin at second.

I felt very happy for Darwin after I saw the results posted on the Internet. Last month we thought that he had recovered his deadly form when the Marikina chess ace grabbed the early lead in the First HD Bank tournament in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. But then came a sudden reversal of form and he lost every single game in the last three rounds, finishing a lowly 42nd place.

Here in Moscow Darwin sprinted ahead at the start, wobbled a bit to allow his rivals to go into the lead, and then managed to save this difficult game in the penultimate round.

Rogozenco, Dorian (2534) -- Laylo, Darwin (2516) [D80]
Aeroflot Open B Moscow RUS (8), 15.02.2011
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In the last round he overpowered one of the leaders to tie for first.

Laylo, Darwin (2516) -- Gavrilov, Alexei (2484) [E62]
Aeroflot Open 2011 B Moscow (9), 16.02.2011
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Black is mated after 36...Bg7 37.Qh3.

This writer handled the training of Laylo several years ago for the Asian junior Championships, where he finished second. I saw then what a great talent he was. He is 31 years old now -- still time for a second wind!

Reader comments/suggestions are solicited. E-mail address is bangcpa@gmail.com

Chess Plaza in Luneta

After sifting through very old, dusty - even torn - pages of newspapers and tabloids at the National Library, I decided to breathe some air and thus found myself in the company of chess enthusiasts at the Chess Plaza in Luneta Park.

Filipino chess addicts must be so thankful that there's a place like this in a place where someone can enjoy the feeling of being a kid again, a lover, and a freeman.

Is there a basketball court in Luneta? A soccer field?

We chess lovers must be thankful we have a chess haven where our national hero is enshrined.

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Best Theoretical Novelty for 2010

BY: BOBBY ANG

(An excerpt of Chess Piece, BusinessWorld, 24 February 2011)

A few columns we wrote about the contest launched by New in Chess Magazine to find the best novelty for 2010, among which was Wesley So’s win vs. Israel’s Maxim Rodshtein. The winner has been announced, and it is Vishy Anand vs. Veselin Topalov -- game 2 of their world championship match.

Anand, V. (2787) -- Topalov, V. (2805) [E04]
WCh Sofia BUL (2), 25.04.2010
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People and pawns

Even chess teaches us of how the historic EDSA People Power Revolution came to be: the lowly pawns - when united - can storm and mate the King!

As the great François-André Danican Philidor said: "Pawns are the soul of chess."

Indeed, the people are the soul of a nation. Pawns, unite!!!

Happy 25th EDSA People Power Revolution celebration!!

NM Bersamina Top 4 Junior in Aeroflot Open 2011 (Group C)

(IN PHOTO: NM Paulo Bersamina and IM Oliver Dimakiling are shown here frolicking in Russian snow.)

Thirteen-year-old NM Paulo Bersamina scored 5.5 points out of possible 9.0 in Aeroflot Open 2011 (Group C) to post a strong No.4 finish in the Juniors Category.

Overall, Bersamina, the country's youngest juniors champion and reigning national master, ranked 22nd in a field of 106 players who were mostly Russians, Azerbaijans, and Armenians.

Bersamina's only losses were in the hands of eventual champion Shahinyan David of Armenia and 5th placer Bogdan Belyakov of Russia.

Congrats, Pau!


COMPLETE GAMES OF NM PAULO BERSAMINA IN AEROFLOT OPEN 2011 (Group C)
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2010 top novelties (part 2)

BY: BOBBY ANG

(As published in Chess Piece, BusinessWorld, 14 February 2011.)

Here are the final two candidates for Top Theoretical Novelty of the Year in 2010:

No. 5. Jakovenko vs. Inarkiev (Ruy Lopez Exchange Variation)

In the Ruy Lopez Exchange Variation after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0-0 Black has a lot of possibilities here and it is not clear which is best. There is 5...f6, 5...Bg4, 5...Qf6, 5...Bd6, 5...Ne7, 5...Qe7, 5...Be7, 5...Be6 and 5...Qd6.

My personal favorite is 5...Qf6, as for amateurs like me it is always desirable to keep your queen in the vicinity of the enemy king. About this move Bobby Fischer in My 60 Memorable Games commented that the ballet dancer Harmonist showed good sense by trying 5...Qf6 with the threat of ...Bg4 (against Schallopp in Frankfurt 1887) but after 6.d4 exd4 7.Bg5! Qg6 8.Qxd4 White can get a clear initiative."

This observation rings true, which is why Black started playing 7...Qd6 instead of bringing it to g6 so as to exchange queens if White should play 8.Qxd4. Take a look at the following game, though, where Jakovenko totally destroys Inarkiev right in the opening stage.

Jakovenko, Dmitrij (2725) -- Inarkiev, Ernesto (2669) [C68]
4th ACP World Rapid Cup Odessa UKR (1.1), 27.05.2010
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No. 6. Ootes vs Villwock (Sicilian Sveshnikov)

Lars Ootes is the Junior Champion of the Netherlands. In the following game he resurrects an old sacrificial line in the Sveshnikov which seemed to have run its course.

Ootes, Lars (2358) -- Villwock, Martin (2212) [B33]
Leiden Noteboom Memorial 70th (6), 14.02.2010
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Reader comments/suggestions are solicited. E-mail address is bangcpa@gmail.com

FEU CHESSERS CLINCH FIFTH STRAIGHT UAAP CHESS TITLE

(Photos courtesy of Michael Reyes)









BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

THE Far Eastern University (FEU) chess team clinched their fifth straight senior mens title at the conclusion of 73rd season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) chess team championships.

Playing under the banner of head coach two-time Olympian GM Jayson Gonzales, the Tamaraws subdued University of Sto. Tomas, 3.5-.5, in the 14th and final round was held at the FEU campus in Manila on Sunday.

Lennon Heart Salgados, Sheider Nebato and Antonio Chavez Jr. beat Gerald Ferriol, Patrick Florendo and Antonio Chavez Jr., on board 1 to 3, respectively. Growling Tigers John Zacarias plit the point with Kevin Mirano to prevent his team for a possible shut-out loss.

The Baby Tamaraws completed the double celebration of the Morayta based school as they trouncing the Baby Tigers, 4-0, with Vince Angelo Medina, Jerad Docena, Mc Dominique Lagula and Enrica Villa carried the fight for FEU.The Lady Archers, meantime took the senior womens crown after edging lady Tigers, 2.5-1.5
　
Over-all, the Tamaraws finish a total 46.5 points, the Baby Tamaraws notch a total 40.5 points while the Lady Tigers tallied a total 45 points.
　
"Our hard work paid off because we never stopped practicing after we won the Unigames, CHED [Commission on Higher Education] National Finals among other collegiate competitions as well the 12th Rakan Muda Grand ASEAN Chess Challenge (GACC) World Inter-Varsity Chess Championships 2007 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.," said Gonzales, who thanked Dr. Lydia Echauz (FEU President), Anton Montinola (UAAP board member) Mark Oliver Molina (FEU Athletic Director) and Dr. Miriam Garcia (FEU-Fern College, Directress).

" Saka hindi din magtatagumpay kami kung hindi sa walang sawang suporta ng mga shool officials," he added.

Adjudged over-all individual winners are Sheider Nebato of FEU (MVP/ Senior mens), Jerad Docena of FEU (MVP/ juniors) and Jan Jodilyn Fronda of La Salle (MVP/ Rookie/ Senior womens).

Barangay Wesley vs Don Galo (The Second Encounter)

A day before Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire detonated a bomb on Fernando Montiel's right jaw last Sunday, another knock out had exploded in Barangay Don Galo, Parañaque.

Armed to the teeth this time, host Don Galo Chess Club butchered the visiting Barangay Wesley Chess Club over the weekend in a chess team tournament billed as "Don Galo vs Barangay Wesley Friendly Chess Match 2" to level their match-up at 1:1 scorecard.

Don Galo's win last Saturday spiced up the duel between the two chess teams as calls for the third encounter now come like banging cymbals.

In their first encounter in September 2010, Barangay Wesley won over Don Galo on the back of NM Paulo Bersamina's flawless performance.

Last Saturday, however, Don Galo beefed up its line-up by fielding master-caliber players like Mervin Lumidao to clobber the strength and might of BW players. Lumidao was the Board 4-man of the Don Galo Team which placed third overall in the 2010 National Inter-Cities & Municipalities Rapid Chess Tournament that was held in Dagupan in December of last year.

BW missed the services of Paulo in the second encounter since he was still in Russia that day. This young Filipino chess gem had just participated in Group C of 2011 Aeroflot Chess Open where he displayed a solid performance.

But of course, at the center of the burgeoning friendly competition between Don Galo and BW is enjoyment born of camaraderie.

Games. Food. Friendship. It's a life celebrated in the BW-Don Galo marriage.

The third encounter is in order. The thrill has just begun . . .

Wesley So places 5th in World Blitz qualifier

(Photos sourced from chessbase.com)

GM Wesley So brought Philippine chess to yet another milestone, this time finishing 5th in the World Blitz Championship 2011 qualifier in Moscow, Russia.

Qualifying for a world blitz championship, in a highly competitive field which saw the likes of Karjakin, Mamedyarov, Ponomariov, and Grischuk, is simply awesome.

Rate of play is G-3'+2" (3 minutes plus a two-second increment per move). Format is nine double-rounds. The top six would qualify for the final.

Five Filipino players joined this qualifier to test their wits in a huge field of 189 players!

Here are the final rankings of our Pinoy campaigners (highest possible score is 18 points):

GM Wesley So - 13 pts (5th)
IM Oliver Barbosa 10 pts (65th)
IM Richard Bitoon 10 pts (66th)
IM Oliver Dimakiling 9.0 pts (97th)
GM Darwin Laylo 7.5 pts (143rd)

GM John Paul Gomez was also in the list, but reportedly did not play.

Perhaps, Wesley is not tired with chess after all - a good sign. He might just have too much of blitz chess in his system that he gets "tired?" with the standard format, hmmmnn, I don't know.

I don't see anything wrong with blitz chess anyway. To become a world blitz champion is definitely a big thing!! Wesley might be toying with this idea in his head. And why not?

Go for it, Wesley!!

Top 6 finishers who qualified for the 2011 World Blitz Championship:

Place	SNo.	Title	Name		Fed.	FIDE	Total			Wins
1	3	GM	Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar		AZE	2772	14.5			7
2	4	GM	Ponomariov, Ruslan		UKR	2744	14.0			7
3	18	GM	Andreikin, Dmitry		RUS	2689	13.5			6
4	14	GM	Tomashevsky, Evgeny		RUS	2695	13.5			6
5	23	GM	So, Wesley		PHI	2673	13.0			6
6	11	GM	Vitiugov, Nikita		RUS	2709	13.0			6

See the complete rankings HERE

To quit or not to quit

GM Wesley So started his campaign in the 2011 Aeroflot Chess Open (A) on a shaky ground. He was lucky enough to get a draw in Round 1 against GM Alexandr Fier (2571) of Brazil who seemed to be content with a draw against him despite having an advantageous position.

Wesley started Round 2 on a promising ground, with I think a winning stance until the middle game against GM Anton Shomoev (2557) of Russia. However, he miscalculated somewhere in the game, lost his advantage, and eventually the full point.

After this defeat in Round 2, Wesley piled up four more consecutive draws.In six games that he played in the tournament, he exhibited a +0-1=5 performance. If we're to look at the game results, his performance was not really that bad. He lost only once. And he played against highly competitive 2500-rated players.

If we are to look closely, however, the lone loss and five draws were played against lower-rated opponents, which dealt heavily on his Elo rating.

The losses from his Elo rating were more than just a bleeding. It was a hemorrhage.

Now, the question is: Was it a right decision for him to withdraw from the tournament?

In the first place, it is interesting to ask: Whose decision was that?

Did Wesley come up with the decision all by himself? Or the did the decision come from people influential to him?

If - I said if - Wesley alone cracked the decision for himself, it is interesting to find out why.

As an avid fan of him, all I could afford is guess for some valid reasons (valid, in my opinion).

If he's sick, then he has all the reasons to withdraw from the tournament.

If he's emotionally in pain because of unforeseen personal and family concerns, it's just all right.

If the conditions in the playing venue and hotel accommodations were harmful, maybe these are enough reason to pack up and leave.

If he's sent to the tournament sans his gusto for being emotionally and mentally tired due to successive tournaments, then quitting is just all right.

For a 17-year old lad to do all the game preparations all by himself to battle it out against the world's best is a herculean task. Far away from the comfort of a family, a young lad's emotions can explode like a long kept timebomb.

But what if there were other reasons?

What if - again, I said if - he joined that event willingly and with gusto? It would then be a different story. He should know himself. If he had felt he was already tired prior to the tournament, he could have decided not to join in the first place. He should pace himself well, take a rest, see and enjoy the world, fall in love as he wishes, regain strength, and then continue on his quest to reach for his dream.

At his age, what is it there to lose? At 17, he should bear in mind that when he engages in battles, everything there is to be gained.

At this stage of his career, it's not yet all about winning. It's not all about the title. It's not all about the Elo rating. It's about character formation, too.

At Wesley's age today, he wouldn't gain from quitting. His strong character could be better minted if he is taught to face - and bear - the most painful part of defeat.

When the sensational GM Bobby Fischer said "All I wanna do is play chess in my whole life" [or something to this effect], it was a strong character of a great player revealed.

But when Wesley said, "Too tired to play" after quitting halfway through a tournament (because of valid reasons, let's hope), I didn't see it as a kiddie gripe. It was a revelation of a youthful character still in search of what he really wants.

At a very young age, he might be overdoing himself. Exhaustion. Being away from family. Taste of frustrations. Boom, hasty decision.

Now, what if - again, I said if - Wesley's withdrawal from the tournament was not his decision but from people influential to him? Then it's a totally different story.

In my opinion, the decision to withdraw - that is, without much 'valid' reasons - was uncalled for. Advising Wesley to quit without solid grounds wouldn't do Wesley any good.

The decision to quit was a blow against Wesley's character, possibly even to his image in the eyes of the global chess community.

It's beyond a matter of whether the tournament was Open or Invitational. It's a matter of character.

Strong character propels the great.

When Manny Pacquiao got bloodied in an early round due to an accidental headbutt against Erik Morales in their first encounter in March of 2005, Pacquiao, despite the pain and handicap he had to endure, never quit. He continued to fight on . . . until the end. It was a character of a great man revealed.

After that loss against Morales, Pacquiao has never been the same. He came back with a big bang, winning all his succeeding fights. Pacquiao won all of his matches from 2005 up to 2010 against the likes of Morales (2nd and 3rd encounter), Larios, Solis, Barrera, Marquez, Diaz, de la Hoya, Hatton, Cotto, Clottey, and Margarito.

And look how that character has brought Manny to where he is now. He is on top of the world.

Chess. Boxing. All sports. Character plays a crucial role.

I hope that Wesley's withdrawal from Aeroflot Open was grounded on valid reasons. Otherwise, something must be done so that this small bleeding doesn't lead to a hemorrhage.

(To all the fans of Wesley, please don't get me wrong. This is just my opinion in full support of him.)

GM Laylo tops 2011 Aeroflot Chess Open B

Congratulations to GM Darwin Laylo for a superb 7/9 performance to tie for first with two other GMs in the highly competitive Aeroflot Open 2011 (B) that was held in Moscow, Russia from February 7 to 18.

Overall, Laylo settled for second place after the tie-breaks, just behind the eventual champion GM Tigran Kotanjian of Armenia and ahead of third placer GM Nikolai Kabanov of Russia.

Laylo fashioned out a spectacular +5-0=4 performance to finish the tournament with a TPR of 2694! For his second place finish, GM Darwin will bring home EUR 6,000 (roughly over P350,000) in prize.

Again, congratulations, GM Darwin!

Here are GM Laylo's complete games in Aeroflot Open 2011 (B). Enjoy the fireworks in Rounds 4, 6, and 9!!
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GM Wesley So vs GM David Navara (ANNOTATED)

BY: BOBBY ANG

(As published in Chess Piece, BusinessWorld, 16 February 2011. This column was titled "Wesley So." Photo sourced from Tata Steel Chess website.)

73rd Tata Steel "B"
Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands
Jan 14-30, 2011

Final Standings

(everybody is a GM)
1-2. Luke J McShane ENG 2664, David Navara CZE 2708, 8.5/13
3. Zahar Efimenko UKR 2701, 8.0/13
4-6. Wesley So PHI 2673, Le Quang Liem VIE 2664, Gabriel Sargissian ARM 2667, 7.5/13
7. Vladislav Tkachiev FRA 2636, 7.0/13
8. Radoslaw Wojtaszek POL 2726, 6.5/13
9-10. Li Chao CHN 2649, Laurent Fressinet FRA 2707, 6.0/13
11. Surya Shekhar Ganbuly IND 2651, 5.5/13
12. Wouter Spoelman NED 2547, 5.0/13
13. Jon Ludvig Hammer NOR 2647, 4.0/13
14. Friso Nijboer NED 2584, 3.5/13

Ave. Rating 2659 => Category 17
Time Control: 100 minutes for the first 50 moves then 15 minutes for the rest of the game, with 30 seconds increment starting move 1

International Grandmasters Luke McShane (England, 27 years old) and David Navara (Czech Republic, 26 years old) tied for first in the 73rd Tata Steel Tournament "B" (formerly known as Corus Wijk aan Zee) and, although McShane was declared the winner on tie-break, both will be invited to the "A" tournament next year.

McShane was a child prodigy and considered England’s chess hope in the ’90s. He won the under-10 world championship when he was eight and became a grandmaster by 16 -- the youngest Englishman ever.

After several good results, however, Luke disappointed his fans by deciding to get a "normal" life. He entered Oxford University in 2003 and, after graduating in 2007, got a job at Goldman Sachs as a trader.

But when the chess bug bites, you stay bitten. He continued to play in the odd tournament and hit paydirt in December 2010 -- he tied for second place in the London Chess Classic Tournament which included Viswanathan Anand, Magnus Carlsen and Vladimir Kramnik. Under a scoring system of three points for a win, one for a draw and nil for a loss, McShane finished joint second with Anand, behind Carlsen, whom McShane had beaten in their individual game.

Undefeated, his event performance rating was 2838 -- higher than Carlsen’s or Anand’s. This second phenomenal performance can be considered a gigantic comeback.

David Navara, nicknamed the "Navara Express" by the Czech press, was no. 14 in the world in 2007 with an ELO rating of 2720, but his results have dipped since then. Hopefully, this tie for first in Tata "B" together with his victory in the 2010 Czech Championship with 8.5/9 is a sign that he is on the uptrend. His fighting and aggressive style is needed in elite tournaments.

By the way, Navara is known for his extreme modesty and politeness. Always immaculately dressed, while playing a game he would push back his chair and sit an arm’s length from the table so as not to disturb the opponent. Sound familiar? The great Akiba Rubinstein also used to do this.

But enough about the two! This is, after all, a Filipino publication and I am sure our readers are more interested in the performance of Wesley So.

Wesley took down four straight GMs in the middle rounds to grab the lead and up to the 11th (out of 13) round was still tied for first place, but a crucial loss to McShane dropped him down to fifth place. His fans probably were a bit disappointed, but they need not be. After all, Wesley was seeded fifth, so he finished exactly where he should.

Here, take a look at this dominating victory over one of the first placers.

So, Wesley (2673) -- Navara, David (2708) [D76]
73rd Tata Steel GMB Wijk aan Zee NED (7), 13.01.2011
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2011 Kidapawan Open Chess Championship

(Photos courtesy of NM Reggie Olay)

Again, this tournament proved that chess talents - many of them unknown, unrecognized and therefore unsupported - abound in the countryside.

Reynaldo Gempero, Jr.almost swept the 2011 Kidapawan Open Chess Championship over the weekend in Kidapawan City Convention Center, topping the event with a 6.5/7 performance!

Reynaldo Gempero who? His Elo rating stands at 1991 and seeded No.22 in the tournament. But he finished ahead of a number of titled, veteran, and known Filipino campaigners like FM Christopher Castellano, NM Olay Reggie, and NM Rustum Tolentino.

I believe that the likes of Reynaldo, many of them playing in the shadow of anonymity, can upset a seasoned GM on a given day.

Top 15 finishers (out of 94 players)

Rk.		Name	FED		Pts.
1		GEMPERO Reynaldo Jr.	Dav		6,5
2	FM	LLUCH Victor Bruce	Ili		6,0
3		PARRENAS Michael John	kid		6,0
4	NM	MACALA Macacana	Dav		6,0
5	NM	FILIPINAS Roel	N.		6,0
6		SALUBRE Jayson	Dav		5,5
7		UBANAN Nazario	Dav		5,0
8	FM	CASTELLANO Christopher	Man		5,0
9		SOMBILON Lyndon	Dav		5,0
10		MAAMO Harrison	Dav		5,0
11	NM	OLAY Reggie	kid		5,0
12		LAPUT Lito	dig		5,0
13		DANO Jimmy	dig		5,0
14	NM	TOLENTINO Rustum	Man		5,0
15		GARCIMO Raffy	S.		5,0

Complete results HERE

GOMEZ BEATS RUSSIAN GM; GRABS LEAD IN ROUND 5 AEROFLOT OPEN CHESS

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

Individual Standings after round 5: (Group B division)
4.5 points---GM John Paul Gomez (Philippines)
4 points---GM Darwin Laylo (Philippines), GM Tigran Kotanjian (Armenia), GM Alexei Gavrilov (Russia), GM Dorian Rogozenco (Romania), GM Wen Yang (China), GM Zhao Xue (China), Bayarsaikhan Gundavaa (Mongolia)
　
GM John Paul Gomez (in photo) scored back to back wins to wrest the solo lead after the fifth round of the Aeroflot Open chess championship at the Hotel Gamma-Delte in Moscow, Russia on Saturday.

Gomez, a member of the Philippine team which bagged the silver medal in the recent Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, outsmarted overnight solo leader GM Alexei Gavrilov of Russia to notch 4.5 points and remain unbeaten in this tough, 106-player Group B competition that dangles 10,000 euros top prize.

The Binan, Laguna pride Gomez also beat FM Pogos Nakhapetiane of Russia in Friday's fourth round.

GM Darwin Laylo settled for a draw against GM Zhao Xue of China to share second to 8th places with four points in the company of Zhao, Gavrilov, GM Tigran Kotanjian of Armenia, GM Dorian Rogozenco of Romania, GM Wen Yang of China and Bayarsaikhan Gundavaa.IM Richard Bitoon toppled WFM Indira Bajt of Slovakia to stayed in contention in a tie for 21st to 44th place with three points.

In other results, IM Oliver Barbosa brought downed FM Daniel Malek of Germany while IM Oliver Dimakiling was yielded to Moscow Open champion Vladimir Belous of Russia. Barbosa and Dimakiling tallied 2.5 points apiece and was tie for 45th to 66th place.

GM Wesley So settled a truce with GM Stanislav Novikov of Russia for 2 points in Group A while FM Paulo Bersamina defeated WFM Alexandra Nikolaeva of Russia for 3.5 points in Group C.

The RP chessers Aeroflot chess campaign is supported by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) President/ Chairman Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. " Hope mahawakan ni John Paul (Gomez) at Darwin (Laylo) ang kanilang momentum sa Aeroflot Open chess sa Moscow," said Pichay, also LWUA head.

2011 BULACAN RAPID CHESS FESTIVAL

BY: RICHARD DELA CRUZ
(Chesswindows Bulacan Correspondent)

All roads lead to Marilao, Bulacan with the staging of 2011 Bulacan Chess Festival on February 27, 2011 8am at the SM City Marilao, Bulacan.

The tournament is divided into three (3) sections-2050& below NCFP rapid rating, Kiddies (U-16) and Kiddies (U-12) with a guaranteed Cash Prizes of P35,000.00 ++.
The Open Section offers P6,000 to the Champion; P4,000 to second; P2,000 to third; P 1,000 to forth placer; P700 to fifth placer: P500 each to 6th -10th placer and P300 each to 11th -20th placer.

Top finisher in different categories, such as lady, junior, senior, executive, unrated and top Bulakeno will also get P500.

In the Kiddies (U-16 & U-12), the Champion will receive P2,000 , P1000 to second, P700 to third; P 500 to forth placer; P500 to fifth placer and P200 each to 6th -10th placer. Top girl will also get P 400. Additional prizes for the youngest Participant, most number of player from the school and top 3 winners in each section will receive books from Timelife/Filway Marketing Inc.

Also a separate Chess for kids Tutorials will be conducted during the festivities. The event will be open to kids as young as 3 yrs old and above to learn the rudiments of the game.

Participants are given 20 minutes to finish the game. Late entry will be accepted until 12:30pm before the start of round 2.

Registration fee for Open is P300, while in the Kiddies section registration fee is P250.

For Complete details, contact All Bulacan Chess Federation secretariat at 0912-4508786 or at 0929-5458825.

Mayor Epifanio Guillermo Cup

BY: RICHARD DELA CRUZ (Chesswindows Bulacan Correspondent)

Photos of the recently concluded Mayor Epifanio Guillermo Cup that was held at SM Marilao. Simply click on photos for enlarged view.