GRANDMASTER Oliver Barbosa trounced hometown bet International Master Shyam Nikil on Monday to rule the 10th Parsvnath International Grandmasters Chess Tournament at the Ludlow Castle Sports Complex in New Delhi, India. With the win, Barbosa finished with 9.5 points after 11 rounds, half-a-point ahead of compatriot GM John Paul Gomez and enough to clinch the overall title and bring home two lakh rupees (around P173,240).
“We (NCFP) extend our congratulations to our Pinoy woodpushers for once again proving we Filipinos are capable of competing against the best and the brightest on the world stage,” said National Chess Federation of the Philippines chief Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr.
Gomez, who shared the lead with Barbosa going into the final round, settled for a draw with unranked Chinese Ma Qun to finish second with nine points, posting a superior tiebreak score over Indian IM Lalith Babu.
GM Mark Paragua, playing white, whipped Russian GM Evgeny Gleizerov to finish fourth with 8.5 points, the same output of Ma.
Only GM Richard Bitoon failed to close out the tourney with a win as he bowed to untitled Indian Kulkarni Chinmay and settled for 6.5 points, good for a tie for 66th to 94th places.
