PINOY GM SANCHEZ TOPS CANNES CHESS TOURNEY ; POCKETS 2,200 EURO

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

Final standings:
1. GM Joseph Sanchez PHI 2516 - 7.0
2-6. GM Michael Roiz ISR 2649, IM Xavier Vila Gazquez ESP 2488, GM Christian Bauer FRA 2633, GM Evgeny Romanov RUS 2606 and GM Andrey Sumets UKR 2619 - 6.5
7-8. GM Alberto David LUX 2580 and GM Vlad-Cristian Jianu ROU 2539 - 6.0
9-19. GM Vadim Malakhatko BEL 2546, GM Hicham Hamdouchi FRA 2592, IM Lucian-Costin Miron ROU 2509, IM Anthony Bellaiche FRA 2458, IM Axel Delorme FRA 2492, FM David Anton Guijarro ESP 2425, GM Sabino Brunello ITA 2540, IM Jules Moussard FRA 2385, GM Evgeny Sveshnikov LAT 2521, IM David Recuero Guerra ESP 2462 and FM Cristophe Sochacki FRA 2366 - 5.5 etc

FILIPINO Grandmaster GM Joseph Sanchez (in stripes, holding a trophy) defeated Italian GM Sabino Brunello after 33 moves of English Opening in the ninth and final round to rules the just ended 25th International Open "Pierre et Vacances" dubbed as Cannes Chess Festival last February 21 to 27 in Cannes, France.

The crucial last round victory with black pieces propelled the Cebuano native Sanchez ahead of the rest of the field and the Filipino claimed a clear first place by finishing on 7 points.

Sanchez was seeded only 15th before the start of the tournament, but he played in excellent form and led the standings throughout the event. He also won the 2009 Cannes Open.

A total of 64 players competed in the 9-round Swiss event with 10,000 EUR prize fund which lured 17 Grandmasters attended.

IM Xavier Vila Gazquez, former U18 European Champion, signed his final Grandmaster norm and sparked a huge celebration among his friends back in Catalonia.

National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) President/ Chairman Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. lauded Sanchez’s latest feat saying "He deserves this… I’m really happy for him (Joseph Sanchez). "This proves once again that the Filipino can be at par with the world’s best woodpushers."