Bersamina tops 5th leg of Philippine bullet chess tiff

MANILA, Philippines — Olympic veteran International Master Paulo Bersamina drew his last three games to rule the fifth leg of the Philippine Bullet Chess Championship done online Saturday.

The 22-year-old Bersamina split the point with first leg champion Grandmaster Banjo Barcenilla, FIDE Master Alekhine Nouri and fourth leg winner IM Daniel Quizon to complete his romp with 96 points.

At distant second was the 15-year-old Quizon with 83 points while third leg titlist Joel Pimentel needed a win over Jeremy Marticio in his final game to edge Barcenilla for third place with 81 points.

The United States-based Barcenilla wound up at fourth with 80.

Rounding up the top 10 in this weekly tournament that stakes a total cash pot worth more than Php200,000 courtesy of National Chess Federation of the Philippines president Butch Pichay were FM Arden Reyes, IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia, Narquingel Reyes, Chester Neil Reyes, Samson Lim, Karl Ochoa and Nouri.