Dableo clinches random chess title

MANILA, Philippines – International Master Ronald Dableo hurdled his final round match then nipped David Elorta and Henry Roger Lopez in the tiebreak to snare the individual crown in the second Manny Pacquiao Random Chess Championship at SM Mall in Gen. Santos City Wednesday.

Dableo beat eighth round solo leader Fide Master Austin Literatus to finish tied for first with Elorta and Lopez at eight points.

Elorta, of Sta. Ana, Manila, upended Joel Pimentel, while Lopez, a paraplegic, stunned Grandmaster Joey Antonio in the final round of the novel tournament introduced by the late Bobby Fischer.

The 36-year-old Dableo, however, took the crown on a superior quotient in the tiebreak score although the troika split the combined first to third prizes and won P33,000 each.

NM Hamed Nouri, Literatus and Marc Christian Nazario wound up with 7.5 points and won P11,000 each, while NMs Jerad Docena and Leo Mercado, Pimentel, Merben Roque, GM Darwin Laylo, Angelo Vince Medina, Alfredo Rapanot, Kevin Arquero, Francis Glenn Panes all had seven points and each received P6,000.

Meanwhile, nine-year-old FM Alekhine Nouri emerged as the top elementary student, Joh Marvin Miciano took the high school honors, WIM Janelle Mae Frayna won the top female plum and Ibrahim Alawi copped the seniors award. Each got P2,000.

The top three players from the host city also received cash prizes, including Sheider Nebato, who emerged as the top Gen. San player and won P3,000; Elias Banguiran was the second best and received P2,000, while Jeazzir Kline Surposa was the third best GenSan player and won P1,000.

Tournament organizer and MP Chess Players Organization head GM Eugene Torre led the awarding of the prizes.