Gomez back as national chess king

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino Grandmaster John Paul Gomez never lost hope he would once again ascend the summit of Philippines chess.

The 38-year-old Olympiad veteran achieved that at the close of the Philippine National Open Chess Championship Tuesday in Alicia, Isabela, sealing his victory with a draw with International Master Joel Banawa.

Gomez split the point with Banawa, a local bet, in 21 moves of a Caro-Kann encounter to finish with 8.5 points for the crown and a ticket to the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand next year. Gomez last won the event 11 years ago.

It was made sweeter by the champion’s purse of P120,000 courtesy of host Alicia Mayor Joel Amos Alejandro.

Paulo Bersamina, who flattened Alexis Emil Maribao in 42 moves of a Sicilian, and Daniel Quizon, who edged IM Jem Garcia in a marathon 74-move win of a King’s Indian, ended up tied for No. 2 with eight points each.