Georgian GM rules Phl Int’l tilt

MANILA, Philippines - Georgian GM Levan Pantsulaia drew with Filipino GM John Paul Gomez yesterday to beat three others in the tiebreak and capture the Philippine International Chess Championship crown at Celebrity Sports Plaza in Quezon City Thursday.

The third-seeded Pantsulaia wound up with seven points, the same total of Russian top seed Ivan Popov, countryman Merab Gagunashvili and Armenian Avetik Grigoryan after 10 rounds of the tournament sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission and Puregold.

Popov downed compatriot GM Anton Demchenko while Gagunashvili subdued Indian IM Narayanan Sunilduth Lyna. Grigoryan split the point with Russian GM Mikhail Mozharov.

But Pantsulaia won the title after the tiebreak although the top four each received $3,375.

Gomez, a three-time Olympian, emerged the best Filipino performer at fifth with 6.5 points. Mozharov and Filipino GM Darwin Laylo, who trounced Cebuano IM Kim Steven Yap, posted the same score but landed sixth and seventh after the tiebreak.

The second-seeded Demchenko finished with six points in the company of veteran GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. and Sunilduth Lyna, who rounded up the top 10 of the tournament supported by Asia United Bank, Burlington, Celebrity Sports Plaza, Microtel and Harold’s Hotel.

Antonio drew with US-based Julio Catalino Sadorra (5.5 points), who failed to show the same form that made him the country’s top board player in this year’s Tromso Chess Olympiad.

Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre narrowly missed the magic circle with 5.5 points, placing 11th following a draw with GM Richard Bitoon (5.5 points).

Despite dropping her final game to Fide Master Randy Segarra, WIM Janelle Mae Frayna emerged best finisher among the four female bets with 4.5 points.

Joey Albert Florendo nipped Allan Cantonjos for the Challenger section crown. They both wound up with eight points, but Florendo prevailed after the tiebreaker.

Meanwhile, Pantsulaia hopes to make it two-in-row as he headlines the field in the $30,000 Philippine Sports Commission-Puregold Chess Challenge starting tomorrow at the same venue.