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SUBIC: GM-elect Jayson Gonzales is back where he always wanted to be
on top.
Gonzales emerged as the overall champion in the
first Subic Open International Chess Championship with a dramatic,
final-round win over surprise package Rolando Andador before a big
crowd at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center Friday.
The 34-year-old mainstay of Philippine Army
exploited a shattering blunder by Andador in the endgame and got rid
of an impending draw to capture the overall title and the top prize
of $5,000.
The win by Gonzales came in 40 moves of the
Slav, or only three moves after Andador made the fatal king push on
the 37th move that forced him to give up a rook for a bishop to
escape a mate in one.
Gonzales, who rarely settles for a draw,
actually offered to split the point on the 34th move with the
position almost even. But Andador, who was way ahead in time,
shunned the offer and desperately went for a win.
Then came the blunder.
It was also a big turnaround for Gonzales, who
finished dead-last in the recent “Battle of GMs” tournament held
in Manila early this month.
“I’m very, very happy to win the title. It
was a dream come true,” said Gonzales, who also became the first
Filipino to win an international title at home since former Rep.
Prospero Pichay was elected National Chess Federation of the
Philippines (NCFP) president.
Before Gonzales’ unexpected triumph, foreign
players dominated all six other international tournaments hosted by
Pichay since 2006.
“Malaki talaga ang pasasalamat ko kay
Congressman Pichay dahil sa patuloy niyang suporta hindi lamang sa
akin kundi sa lahat ng mga players,” added Gonzales, who is still
several ELO ratings short before being formally awarded his GM
title.
Pichay personally awarded the trophies and cash
prizes to Gonzales and the other top finishers, assisted by NCFP
Secretary-General and Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham Bambol Tolentino,
tournament director Willie Abalos, chief arbiter Peter Long of
Malaysia and NCFP officials Atty. Edmundo Legaspi and Red Dumuk.
Gonzales, who earned his third and last GM norm
during the Asean Masters in Tarakan, Indonesia early this year, said
he deliberately skipped the recent Philippine Open to take a
much-needed rest following his lackluster showing in the “Battle
of GMs.” He also bought a brand new laptop and continued his chess
studies during the period.
The perseverance and hard work, obviously, paid
off during the Subic Open.
Overall, Gonzales finished with seven points out
of a possible nine in this prestigious tournament supported by the
Department of Tourism and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.
Top seed GM Yuriy Kuzubov of Ukraine and Dubai
Open champion GM Wesley So settled for a quick, friendly draw after
only 10 moves of the Sicilian to finish in a four-way tie for second
to fifth places with Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre and comebacking
GM Buenaventura “Bong” Villamayor with 6.5 points.
Torre outlasted IM Zaw Htun Wynn of Myanmar
while Villamayor overpowered former national junior champion Oliver
Barbosa.
So, at 14 the world’s youngest GM, finished
second overall due to higher tiebreak score.
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