Wesley tops Canada tilt

MANILA, Philippines - Grandmaster Wesley So scored 2.5 points in the last three rounds to capture the crown in the Crown Section of the Toronto International Chess Championship in Canada last weekend.

So, 17, beat GMs Preotu Razvan and Sambuev Bator in the fifth and sixth rounds, respectively, then went for a draw with IM Arthur Calugar in the final round to finish with six points in the seven-round Swiss system tournament.

The top Filipino GM, priming up for next month’s Olympiad, also posted three other wins and another draw to edge IM Niritsyn Nikolay by half-a-point for the crown. So hurdled Nikolay in the third round. He won $4,000.

So hopes to sustain his form as he vies in the Quebec Open Chess Championship in Montreal, Canada this week. He will then head to Webster University-SPICE to resume his studies before leading the Philippine team in the Olympiad set Aug. 27-Sept.10 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Meanwhile, IM Oliver Dimakiling dumped NM Giovanni Mejia to keep the solo lead in the National Open Chess Championships at the Cabagnot Training Center in Old Buswang Kalibo, Aklan late Sunday.

The win raised Dimakiling’s total to 17 points, a full point ahead of GM Mark Paragua after 11 rounds.

Paragua trounced GM Roland Salvador to improve to 16 points as the top two players zeroed in on berths in the national team vying in next month’s Olympiad in Turkey.

GMs Darwin Laylo split the point with GM Eugene Torre while GM Joey Antonio also drew with GM John Paul Gomez to share third with 14 points.