GM Barbosa Annexed Chess Title in India

The Filipino woodpushers went berserk in the last round of Parsvnath International Grandmasters Tournament at the Ludlow Castle Sports complex in New Delhi, India as they copped the 1^st, 2^nd and 4^th places.

Fast-rising Filipino Grandmaster Oliver Barbosa edged out IM Shyam Nikil to capture the elusive crown by piling up 9.5 points and became $4,000 dollars richer.

On the other hand, Filipino GM John Paul Gomez extracted a hard-earned draw over Chinese Ma Qun to tie Indian IM M.R. Lalith Babu for 2^nd to 3^rd place. Gomez grabbed the second spot when the tiebreak was applied.

GM Mark Paragua outclassed Russian GM Evgeny Gleizerov to claim fourth place.

The fourth Filipino campaigner in the 11 round Swiss system that attracted more than 700 players, GM Richard Bitoon was not successful as he yielded to Kulkarni Chinmay of India to finished tied for 66^th place with just 6.5 points.

The Filipinos strong performance in India is indeed marvelous and this is evident that chess in the country is on a rise.

The Philippines so far has 13 Grandmasters and two are Super Grandmasters. Barbosa now has a live rating of 2610 and Wesley So who totes a rating of 2658 is still in the Top 100 Players in the world.

Sanchez Copped Chess Crown in Cannes

Filipino Grandmaster Joseph Sanchez reigned supreme in the just recently concluded 25^th Cannes Chess Festival in Cannes, France.

The 15^th seeded Sanchez essayed a masterful win against Italian GM Sabino Brunello after 33 moves of the English Opening to vault into the top position with 7.0 points just a half-point ahead of his nearest pursuers.  The first ever Grandmaster from Cebu extracted the tough win with the disadvantageous black pieces.

Sanchez led all throughout the tournament from start to finish to better his third placed finish two years ago.

Young chess lion IM Xavier Gazquez of Spain collected 6.5 points to capped his performance with joint second to sixth places finish with GMs Michael Roiz (Israel), Christian Bauer (France), Evgeny Romanov (Russia) and Andrey Sumets of Ukraine.

Sanchez totes an Elo rating of 2513 and currently ranked 8^th in the Philippines and 68^th in Asia.

Wesley So Places Fifth in Aerofloat Open Blitz Chess

Filipino Super Grandmaster Wesley So picked up the cudgels he left as he vaulted and finished to fifth place in the just recently concluded Aerofloat Open Blitz Chess Championships in Moscow, Russia. The tournament served as a qualifying tournament for the World Blitz Championship.

The 17-year old So, who pulled out of the regular event (Group A) due to exhaustion, piled up six wins to wound up tied for fifth place with Russian Grandmaster Nikita Vitiugov with 13 points. The effort of So is remarkable enough since he is just seeded 23^rd in the tournament.

So is one and a half point behind champion GM Shakhiyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan and one point behind GM Ruslan Ponomariov of Ukraine.

So also trailed Russians GM Dmtry Andreikin and Evgeny Tomashevsky by just half a point.

So’s wins comes at the expense of Piort Korobkov of Russia, GM Vitaly Kunin of Russia, GM Ruben Felgaer of Argentina, GM Vallejo Pons of Spain, GM Ian Nepomniatchi of Russia and GM Le Quang Liem of Vietnam.

So was held to draws by IM Aleksei Pridorozhni and GMs Ponomariov and Alexander Grischuk.

So, Rodhstein Still Leads After the Second Round of Biel Chess Festival

It was a dull day in the second round of the 43rd Biel Chess Festival held in Switzerland as all players in five boards agreed to a truce. Grandmaster Wesley So of the Philippines springs some surprises on his game against the top seeded French Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2723) in the middle stages of the match but was wittingly neutralized by superb counter plays. The exciting match between these two feisty chess players ended in a draw after exhausting 64 moves. The Filipino number one player still leads in the tournament alongside Maxim Rodhstein (2609) of Israel which was also held to a draw by Italian rising Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana (2697). Caruana scored his second draw counting the one he had against Anish Giri who triumphed this year in the Section B of the prestigious Corus Chess Tournament also drew his game against Vachier-Lagrave in the first round.

Grandmasters David Howell of England (2616) bounced back into contention by scoring a hard fought draw against GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son (2617).

The drawish games between second-seed Russian GM Evgeny Tomashevsky (2708) of Russia against Parimarjan Negi (2615) of India and Anish Giri of the Netherlands (2672) over Dmitry Andreikin (2650) of Russia are still played as of press time.

So and Rodhstein still leads in the tournament by just a half point against their nearest pursuers.

Standings After Second Round

1.5 So (Philippines), Rodhstein (Israel)

1.0 Vachier-Lagrave (France), Caruana (Italy), Truong Son (Vietnam),

0.5 Giri (Netherlands)*, Tomashevsky (Russia)*, Andreikin (Russia)*, Howell (England)

0 Negi (India)*

* Playing as of press time

Filipino Wesley So Draws First Blood Over David Howell in Biel Chess Festival

The prestigious and equally tough 43^rd Biel Chess Festival held in Switzerland hostilities finally got underway as top guns of the Young Tournament in the annual event showed fearsome form. Fourth-seeded Filipino grandmaster Wesley So (2674) who is the current youngest player in the world’s top 60 lists in the latest FIDE ratings waylaid old nemesis and British hope David Howell (2616) 1-0, even as Israeli top bet Maxim Rodhstein (2609) squeaking past Indian Grandmaster Parimarjan Negi (2615) 1-0, to grab the early lead in the tournament which lured ten of the brightest and talented woodpushers from all over the world.

The top Filipino bet, So, made a stir in the 2009 World Cup by virtue of scoring stunning upset victories over Ukrainian Vassily Ivanchuk and American Gata Kamsky next takes on the tournament’s top seed Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2723) who drew his round assignment with Italian sensation and third seed Fabiano Caruana (2697), ½ – ½. While erstwhile co-leader Rodhstein (2609) will meet Caruana in the second round.

All the other matches in the first round ended in a truce. Dutch Anish Giri (2672) who is a half-Russian half-Nepalese drew with Russian second-seed Evgeny Tomashevsky (2708) ½ – ½, while another Russian GM participant Dmitry Andreikin (2650) halved the point with Vietnamese GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son (2617) ½ – ½.

Other pairings in the second round of the tournament includes Tomashevsky (0.5) – Parimarjan Negi (0), Truong Son (0.5) – David Howell (0), Giri (0.5) – Andreikin (0.5).

Wesley So Loses to Giri in Biel Chessfest in the Eighth Round

Grandmaster Wesley So of the Philippines bowed to old nemesis GM Anish Giri of the Netherlands in the eighth round of the 43rd Biel Chessfest Young Grandmaster Tournament  category and remained stacked with 4 points. So playing with the black pieces engaged Giri into complications in their English Opening (Pidgin Variation) and even pushed the Dutch number 2 player in time trouble. At the end So was in big trouble as the match was culled to just 5 pawns for both players and a Zugswang favors the white pieces with strong passive pawns on the kingside that.

The loss dashed the hopes of Wesley So of bagging the tournament’s top plum.

Almost the same fate happened to So earlier this year as he bowed to time troubled Giri after making a blunder. So missed a winning line that enabled Giri to wield the upset axe and eventually wrap up the Corus Section B championship and the automatic seeding to next year’s elite Group A.

Vietnamese GM Nguyen Truoc Son meanwhile pulled out a stunning reversal as he repulsed second seed GM Evgeny Tomashevsky  of Russia to enhance his chances of winning the tournament. Nguyen now totes 4.5 points to catch Caruana for the lead on this All-Grandmaster, single round play tournament.

Other chess matches are still played as of presstime.

Standings After the Eighth Round in the 43^rd Biel International Chess Festival

4.0 points So (Philippines), Tomashevsky (Russia), Andreikin (Russia)*, Vachier-Lagrave (France)*, Rodhstein (Israel)*, Giri (Netherlands)

2.0 points Negi (India)*, Howell (England)*

Playing as of presstime

Wesley So Keeps Share of Second Place After Seven Rounds in Biel Chessfest

Updated

Another draw for GM Wesley So of the Philippines this time against GM Nguyen Trouc Son of Vietnam to stay in a share of the second place in the 43^rd Biel Young Grandmaster Tournaent  held in Switzerland. The Filipino chess whiz finds himself in big trouble but as the battle nears the end game Wesley So managed to make a comeback and squeezed the draw. The Qc2 move of so in the 16^th proves to be very weak as Nguyen pounced on it. The Vietnamese controlled the game from then on, but So didn’t waver as he launched counter attacks and parry all the threats provided by Nguyen.

Three other games in the tournament also ended in a draw on this 10-man all-GM tournament – top seed Maxime Vachier of France against second seed Evegeny Tomashevsky, Fabiano Caruana of Italy against Anish Giri of the Netherlands and Paramirjan Negi of India against Dmitry Andreikin of Russia.

GM Maxime Rodhstein of Israel is still battling GM David Howell of England as of presstime.

Caruana still holds a very slim lead and just a half a point ahead of So, Vachier-Lagrave, and Andreikin.

Standings After Seventh Round in the 43^rd Biel International Chess Festival

4.5 points Caruana (Italy)

4.0 points So (Philippines), Tomashevsky (Russia), Andreikin (Russia), Vachier-Lagrave (France), Rodhstein (Israel)

3.5 points Nguyen (Vietnam)

3.0 points Giri (Netherlands)

2.0 points Negi (India), Howell (England)

*Playing as of presstime

Wesley So Scored a Draw Over His Russian Opponent in the Sixth Round of Biel Chess festival

Updated

Filipino Grandmaster Wesley So escaped with a draw against his second seeded opponent Russian GM Evgeny Tomashevsky in just 24 moves of Carokann in the sixth round of the 43^rd Biel Chess Festival held in Switzerland to hike his output to 3.5 points. He tied his opponent,  Russian GM Dmitry Andreikin and Israeli GM Maxim Rodhstein  for the share of the econd place. Andreikin drew his game over Rodhstein.

Italian GM Fabiano Caruana nurses a slim half point lead in the tournament by also drawing his game against Vietnamese GM Nguyen Truoc Son, to raise his total points to 4.0.

Also playing as of presstime are French GM Maxime Vachier-Lagraive and David Howell, and Dutch GM Anish Giri and Indian GM Paramirjan Negi.

Giri who is the reigning Groub Section of the Corus Chess Tournament is running into time trouble but against his opponent.

Standings After Sixth Round in the 43^rd Biel International Chess Festival

4.0 points Caruana (Italy)

3.5 points So (Philippines), Tomashevsky (Russia), Rodhstein (Israel), Andreikin (Russia), Vachier-Lagrave (France)

1.5 points Howell (England), Negi (India)*

So Loses to Caruana in the Fifth Round in Biel Chess Festival

Grandmaster Wesley So’s hold of the lead in the 43^rd Biel Chess Festival was wiped out as Italian GM Fabiano Caruana of Italy inflicted him a resounding defeat on their Carokann encounter in the fifth round match. The Filipino chess lion who now totes 2 wins, two draws and a loss and was stalled at 3.0 points now half a point behind his tormentor. Caruana seized the solo lead with 3.5 points.

Israeli GM Maxim Rodhstein who played very well for his country in the last staging of the Olympiad made up from a loss to So in the fourth round, as he bounced back into contention by outwitting favored Anish Giri of the Netherlands 1-0 to hike his points output to 3.0.

In other fifth round action, GMs Nguyen Truoc Son of Vietnam and Paramirjan Negi of India agreed to a draw, ½ – ½, the same outcome transpired with the game between second-seeded GM Evgeny Tomashevsky of Russia and David Howell of England.

The result of the game between top seed GM Maxime Vachier-Lagraive of France and Russian GM Dmitry Andreikin is still not available as they are still playing as of presstime.

So will have its hand full when it battles Tomashevsky in the sixth round.

Standings After Fifth Round of the 43^rd Biel International Chess Festival

3.5 points Caruana (Italy),

3.0 points So (Philippines), Tomashevsky (Russia), Rodhstein (Israel)

2.5 points Andreikin (Russia)*, Truong Son (Vietnam)

2.0  points Vachier-Lagrave (France)*, Giri (Netherlands)

1.5 point Howell (England)

1.0  point Negi (India)

So Finishes Fifth, Nguyen, Vachier-Lagrave and Caruana tied for first in Ninth Round of Biel Chess Festival

Nguyen Truoc Son provided the biggest reversal in the penultimate ninth round of the 43^rd Biel Chess Young Grandmasters Tournament as he demolished fast-rising star Anish Giri of the Netherlands 1-0, to forge a three-way tie with Grandmasters Maxim Vachier-Lagrave of France and Fabiano Caruana of Italy who scored draws on their respective games. The three totes an identical 5.5 points out of the possible 9.0 points.

Vachier-Lagrave handling the disadvantageous black pieces was held to a draw by Indian GM Paramirjan Negi while Caruana extracted a draw from GM David Howell of England.

Caruana and Vachier-Lagrave will dispute in a two game knockout matches to determine the finalist against Nguyen.

In other chess actions in Biel, Switzerland, GM Wesley So of the Philippines who was at on the losing game against GM Dmitry Andreikin of Russia, still managed to eked out a hard fought draw to hike his total points to 4.5 and finished at the middle pack of the 10 All-GM, single round tournament that gathered some of the best young woodpushers from around the round.

Second seed GM Evgeny Tomashevsky of Russia was also held to a truce against GM Maxim Rodhstein of Israel.

Standings after nine round in the Young Grandmasters Tournament Section of Biel Chess Festival

A Draw For So in the Fourth Round in Biel Chess Festival

(Updated July 23, 2010) Grandmaster Wesley So of the Philippines finds cellar dweller Paramirjan Negi of India a tough nut to crack as he was forced to a draw after 28 moves of  Carokann. So is still leading with 3 points in four rounds just a half point ahead of Italian GM Fabiano Caruana and Russians GMs Evgeny Tomashevsky and Dmitry Andreikin.

Andreikin was the biggest gainer in the fourth round as he crushed English GM David Howell, to catch Tomashevsky and Andreikin for a tie of the second place lead.

The solo leader So stakes his lead over the dangerous third seeded Caruana.

Grandmasters Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France, the tournament’s top seed and Anish Giri of the Netherlands are still battling as of presstime.

Standings After Fourth Round of the Biel International Chess Festival

3.0 points So (Philippines),

2.5 points Tomashevsky (Russia), Caruana (Italy), Andreikin (Russia),

2.0 Truong Son (Vietnam), Rodhstein (Israel)

1.5 points Vachier-Lagrave (France)*, Giri (Netherlands)*

1.0 Howell (England)

0.5 Negi (India)

* Playing as of presstime

Amazing So Wrests Solo Lead In Biel Chess Festival in the Third Round

Filipino Grandmaster Wesley So (2672) handling the disadvantageous black pieces pummeled erstwhile co-leader Israeli GM Maxim Rodhstein (2609) with series of remarkable maneuvers in the end game to triumph in moves of 39 Queen’s Indian Defense to hike its points output to 2.5 and took the solo lead in the 43^rd Biel International Chess Festival. So missed a winning line in the middle game but recovered his lost ground to subdue his pesky Israeli opponent.

So pondering his moves against Rodhstein in the third round of Biel Chess Festival. Picture from www.bielchessfestival.ch/

Fabiano Caruana of Italy, which totes an Elo rating of 2697 dealt Indian GM Paramirjan Negi its third loss in as many games to tie Russian GM Evgeny Tomashevsky (2708) for second place with two points a piece. Tomashevsky drew his game with fellow Russian GM Dmitry Andreikin (2650).

In the other games, top seed Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2723) of France was held to a draw by Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son ½ – ½ and Dutch GM Anish Giri halved the point with David Howell of England ½ – ½.

Standings After the Third Round of  Biel International Chess Festival

2.5 points So (Philippines), 1.5 Rodhstein (Israel)

2.0 points Tomashevsky (Russia), Caruana (Italy)

1.5 points Vachier-Lagrave (France), Truong Son (Vietnam), Giri (Netherlands), Andreikin (Russia)

1.0 Howell (England)

0 Negi (India)

The Biel Chess Festival Participants. Picture from www.bielchessfestival.ch/

Young Lions of Chess Dominates Aerofloat Open in Russia

The young guns in chess have their guns a blazing as their cusp for greatness come to fore as they dominated the ninth edition of Aerofloat Open in Moscow, Russia which is one of the strongest chess tournament in the world.

Teenager Viet bet in GM Le Quang Liem bested a field that boasts of 73 Grandmasters and 7 International Masters by scoring 7 points in nine rounds to become this year’s champion. The 19-year old Quang Liem  also won the the trophy in similarly tough Moscow Open.  Another young stalwart in chess, Anton Korobov checked in at a decent third place with 6.5 points, folowed by Nguyen Ngoc Troung Son (Vietnam), Zhou Jianchao (China) and Russians Alexander Motylev and Boris Grachiev.

Filipino chess sensation won the trophy as the best junior in the tournament.

Rogelio Barcenilla Newest Philippine Grandmaster

Many-time Philippine Chess Olympiad member Rogelio “Banjo” Barcenilla Jr. recently become a full-pledged Grandmaster joining the growing elite list of Filipino Grandmasters.
The Iligan City born Barcenilla which is now based in Texas, USA, whipped GM Zviad to gain his third and final GM result in the just concluded Copper State International Chess Championship held in Mesa, Arizona.
Barcenilla, a former Asian Junior Champion collected 7 points in 10 outings in the event that was won by Uzbek GM Timur Gareev which finished with 8 points.
With the feat Barcenilla became the 12th Filipino GM after Eugene Torre, the late Rosendo Balinas Jr., Joey Antonio, Bong Villmayor, Nelson Mariano II, Mark Paragua. Chess prodigy Wesley So, Darwin Laylo, Jayson Gonzales, John Paul Gomez, and Joseph Sanchez.
Rosendo accumulated 15 Elo points, boosting his Elo rating to 2518 and catapulting him to fourth among top Filipino woodpushers that is led by chess prodigy and World Under 16 No. 1 player Wesley So which totes 2646 Elo rating (the best ever Elo rating posted by a Filipino).
Torre, Asia’s first Grandmaster is at second place with 2560 points, a shave ahead of Rogelio Antonio, who had a 2559 points in the Fide ratings released last July 1.