Pinoy chesser Barbosa finishes tied for 2nd in Brunei Open

(Photo sourced from chessdom.com)

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

FORMER Southeast Asian Games silver medalist Filipino International Master (IM) Oliver Barbosa made the country proud anew when he finished in a tie for second to fifth places in the Brunei 2011 International Master (IM) Chess Tournament was held Last Febaruary 27 to March 3 in Brunei Darussalem.

The 24-year-old Barbosa, whose stint here is bankrolled by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) President/ Chairman Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr., joined Vietnamese GM Nguyen Anh Dung, Jahongir Vakhidov and Brunei's promising player FIDE Master Yee Soon Wei share 2nd to 5th place with 6 points each. Yee Soon Wei and Vakhidov attained International Master norms.

National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) President/ Chairman Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. hailed Barbosa’s triumph.

"Naniniwala po tayo na makukuha ni Oliver (Barbosa) ang kanyang pinaka mimithing GM title. Full support ang NCFP sa kanyang pangarap na maging pinakabagong grandmaster ng bansa," said Pichay,also chairman of LWUA.

" Ganun din si Kim Steven (Yap). Sina Oliver at Kim Steven ay kailangan lamang nila ma expose sa mga International competitions at kasama na din ang marubdob na pagsasanay," added Pichay, acknowledged God Father of the Philippine Chess who produced a bunch of GMs under his stewardship.

Barbosa, next in line in the long list of talented Filipino IMs hoping to become a GM this year, shared first place with Georgian GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili in the ASEAN Championship held in Singapore last December, and finished in a tie for second to ninth places in the 2011 Moscow Open chess championships at the Russia State Social University last month.

The multi-titled campaigner from Taytay, Rizal, who wound up eighth in the recent HD Bank Vietnam Open in Ho Chi Minh last month, finished strongly by winning his last four matches, including his penultimate round encounter against highly-rated GM Pavel Kotsur of Kazakhstan.

Uzbek IM Khamrakulov Dzhurabek won the tournament with 6.5 points after losing his 1st round game against IM Barbosa in the ten (10) players from four countries, two from Vietnam, two from Philippines, two from Uzbekistan and four from Brunei, participated in the Brunei 2011 International Master Tournament.

Another Pinoy IM Kim Steven Yap from Cebu City finished 7th with 5 points here in Brunei 2011 IM Tournament while Viet IM Nguyen Van Huy with 5.5 points finished 6th .