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by Marlon Bernardino
TAGAYTAY CITY— Filipino International Masters Jose Efren Bagamasbad and Chito Garma topped their respective divisions at the conclusion of the 12th Asian Senior Chess Championship over the weekend at the Knights Templar Hotel here.
Bagamasbad, a habitue of the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines (IIEE) Chess Club in Monte De Piedad Street in Cubao, Quezon City, drew with Tuleubek Demezhanov of Kazakhstan after 48 moves of an English Opening in the ninth and final round to claim his second straight title in the 65-and-over division.
He drew with Tuleubek Demezhanov of Kazakhstan after 48 moves of an English Opening using the white pieces in the ninth and final round.
Bagamasbad is set to leave on Monday aboard Etihad Airlines bound for Terrasini, Italy for the 2023 World Seniors Chess championships from October 24 to November 6.
Garma, a two-time Olympian, bagged the 50-and-over division title after halving the point against Candidate Master Joseph Ebenezer of India in their Guico Piano skirmish held at the Knights Templar Hotel, Tagaytay City.
Bagamasbad and Garma capped their performance with similar six wins and three draws (7.5 points) in nine outings.
Pocketing the top prize of $350, the 67-year-old Bagamasbad told the media, “I’m very happy to win again, especially in an international tournament like this Asian Seniors. Christmas came early!.”
The 59-year-old Garma won the $500 cash prize after winning this title he won in the 2018 Tagaytay games.
More importantly, Bagamasbad and Garma, both earned their 2nd of the third Grandmaster norms plus free hotel accommodation in the 2024 World Senior Chess Championship.
IM Aitkazy Baimurzin of Kazakhstan (7.0 points) and NM Mario Mangubat of the Philippines (6.5 points) won the silver and gold in the 65-and-over division.
Mangubat from Minglanilla, Cebu earned an outright FIDE Master title. FM Rudin Hamdani of Indonesia (7.0 points) and GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. of the Philippines (6.5 points) took the silver and bronze in the 50-and-over division.
Meanwhile, FM Adrian Ros Pacis, NM Mario Mangubat, and IM Aitkazy Baimurzin won the gold, silver, and bronze in the side event of the blitz (3 minutes plus 2 seconds increment) competition in the 65-and-over division.
GM Rogelio Antonio Jr., IM Chito Garma, and FM Carlos Edgardo Garma, on the other hand, grabbed the gold, silver, and bronze in the side event of the blitz (3 minutes plus 2 seconds increment) competition in the 50-and-over division.
The tournament is under the guidance of tournament director Mike Lapitan, with IA Casto “Toti” Abundo serving as the supervising arbiter.-
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