Kim Yap rules Labogon Open chess, earns Malaysia trip

CEBU, Philippines - IM Kim Steven Yap emerged as the biggest winner in the Labogon Chess Learning Center (LCLC)-organized Labogon Open Chess Tournament recently.

Yap tallied 6.5 points to bag the open division championship of the one-day event sponsored by Labogon Brgy. Capt. Damaso Tumulak.

 Aside from taking home P4,000, Yap also earned an all-expense paid trip to the Malaysian Open this April 5 to 13 in Kuala Lumpur courtesy of noted chess benefactor Boojie Lim of Rose Pharmacy.

Venancio Loyola pocketed P2,000 for placing second with 6.0 points. Voltaire Sevillano and Nelman Lagutin finished with identical 5.5 points but Sevillano took the third place honors by virtue of a superior tie-break output.

Sevillano received P1,000, while Lagutin got P700. Completing the top seven finishers with 5.0 points each were Yves Christian Fiel, Joel Fernan and Adonis Buenaventura.

In the kiddies category, Felix Shaun Balbona, Alan Pason, Raymond Abellana and John Francis Balbona each posted 5.5 points.

Felix Shaun Balbona, however, clinched the title courtesy of a higher tie-breaker, while Pason and Abellana occupied the next two spots as John Francis Balbona came in fourth.

Rounding up the top nine placers were Axel Tal-al, Jan Cleomar Tilus, Mark Balbona, Christian Klent Dondoyo and Efren Tonolite.

In the women’s bracket, the top three winners were Jessa Balbona with a perfect 7.0 points, Sofia Balite with 6.5 points and KC Morala with 5.0 points.

The games were supervised by tournament director Leonardo Alidani and international arbiter Marvin Ruelan. – EBV