FILIPINO Grandmaster Joseph Sanchez placed third overall in the 15th Open Internazionale Citta di Padova Chess Championship held at the Fornace Carotta in Padova, Italy.

Sanchez outclassed GM Vladimir Burmakin of Russia in the final round to finish in a tie for third to fourth along with GM Yuri Solodovnichenko of Ukraine. Sanchez and Solodovnichenko scored identical 6.5 points in the nine-round tournament but the Filipino master took the third spot by virtue of superior tie break point.

Burmakin shared the top position with Italian International Master (IM) Roberto Mogranzini with seven points, each but the former ruled the event via tiebreak.

GMs Lazic Miroljub, Petkov Vladimir and Naumkin Igor and IM Dvirnyy Daniyyl were in a four-way tie for fifth with six points, while GMs Kasparov Sergey, Shishkin Vadim and Vocaturo Daniele, IMs Collutiis Duilio and Laketic Gojko, and FIDE Master (FM) Del Monaco were at ninth with 5.5 points.

Meanwhile, GM Mark Paragua settled for eighth place in the Al Ain Chess Classic held at the Al Ain Culture and Chess Club in the United Arab Emirates.

Paragua toppled FM Nima Javanbakht of Iran in the ninth round to wrap up his campaign with six points.

IMs Emmanuel Senador and Oliver Dimakiling were in a group of 5.5-pointers.

French GMs Edouard Romain and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave grabbed the top honors with seven points apiece.