Salcedo cops Asian Challenge chess title

MANILA, Philippines –Top seed Raymond Salcedo drew with Victor Lluch in the final round to cop the overall championship in the Asian Continental Chess Challenge at the Subic Exhibition and Convention Center in Subic over the weekend.

Salcedo finished with seven points on five wins and four draws then nipped three others in the tiebreak to clinch the title in the five-day tournament held as a side event of the Asian Continental individual chess championship.

Allan Macala, Alcon John Datu and Sheider Nebato also finished with the same score of seven points.

Macala subdued Nelson Villanueva, Datu humbled John Ranel Morazo and Nebato crushed Ritchie Evangelista to catch Salcedo in a four-way tie for first.

Roberto Suelo, Allan Cantonjos and Lluch shared fifth to seventh places with 6.5 points.

Suelo upset third seed Rolando Andador, while Cantonjos downed Roger Sarip.

Completing the Top 12 finishers were Villanueva, Rainier Labay, Ali Branzuela, Morazo and Efren Bagamasbad, all with six points.

Former world youth campaigner Jan Jodilyn Froda of Letran College emerged as the top female participant with five points.