GM Antonio rules Angping Chess Cup

Grandmaster (GM) Rogelio “Joey” Antonio, Jr., dominated the first Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Harry Angping Cup rapid chess championships in Pasig City over the weekend.

The twelve-time RP Open champion Antonio, defeated US-based International Master (IM) Julio Catalino Sadorra to capture the Open division title and the top purse of P50,000 in the two-day event held last Friday and Saturday at the PhilSports Arena (formerly ULTRA).

Antonio, the reigning ASEAN blitz champion, toppled Nhatz Loyaga, Samson Lim, Jr., Christian Arroyo, Conrado Diaz, FIDE Master (FM) David Elorta and FM Jan Emmanuel Garcia.

He settled for a truce with top seed GM Wesley So in the 7th round and GM John Paul Gomez in the 8th round before beating Sadorra in the 9th and final round to finish with 8 points in 9 games of play.

So, meantime, defeated Garcia in the final round to finish among the 2nd to 4th placers together with IM Rolando Nolte and NM Alex Milagrosa. They tallied 7.5 points apiece. Garcia was stuck at 7 points and dropped to a tie for 5th to 9th places in the company of IM Emmanuel Senador, Pascua, Elorta and Sadorra.

Woman National Master (WNM) Chardine Cheradee Camacho and Vince Angelo Medina also emerged as winners on Saturday.

Camacho ruled the women’s division with 7.5 points by beating Woman FIDE Master (WFM) Shercila Cua in the final canto. Aices Salvador, who is fresh from winning the RP junior girls crown, bested fellow WNM Jedara Docena to land in solo second place with 7 points.

Meanwhile, Medina took the kiddies title after settling a draw with Felipe Magdalaga.

The Far Eastern University (FEU) Chess Team member scored 8 points, a full point ahead of Melwyn Kenneth Baltazar, Magdalaga and newly-installed youngest RP junior boys champion Paulo Bersamina who toted 7 points each. The young Baltazar, son of national arbiter Ernie Baltazar, defeated Christian Nanola while Bersamina trounced Vincent Fuerte.

The tournament was hosted by Angping and organized by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) President/Chairman Prospero “Butch” Pichay, Jr. NCFP executive/events director Willie Abalos acted as the Project Director.

A total of 277 players saw action in three-division event, with 150 players in the Open section, 49 players in the women’s section and 78 players in the kiddies section.

Final Standings:

Open section

8 points---GM Rogelio Antonio Jr.
7.5 points---GM Wesley So, IM Rolando Nolte, NM Alex Milagrosa
7 points---FM Jan Emmanuel Garcia, IM Emmanuel Senador, FM Haridas Pascua, FM David Elorta, IM Julio Catalino Sadorra
6.5 points---GM John Paul Gomez, GM Darwin Laylo, NM Alcon John Datu, FM Jony Habla, IM Oliver Dimakiling, Narquingden Reyes, Rhobel Legaspi

Women's section

7.5 points---WNM Chardine Cheradee Camacho
7 points---WNM Aices Salvador
6.5 points---WFM Shercila Cua, WNM Jan Jodilyn Fronda, WNM Christy Lamiel Bernales

Kiddies section

8 points---Vince Angelo Medina
7 points---Melwyn Kenneth Baltazar, Felipe Magdalaga, Paulo Bersamina
6.5 points---Giovanni Mejia, Carlo Caranyagan, Christian Nanola, Dante Leonardo Verano