by Marlon Bernardino
SINGAPORE– Filipino Ernesto Malazarte and American Marc Dicostanzo II bested 202 other players in a 9-Round Swiss format to share the top honors for the 46th annual World Open Under -2200 Chess Championships was held at the Philadelpia Marriott Downtown in Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA last Sunday, July 8, 2018.
Malazarte defeated Kanan Hajiyev while Dicostanzo subdued Hajiyev Davis Zong Jr., in the final round. The duo finished eight points apiece. They got $9,000 each (They split the combined $18,000 for 1st and 2nd prizes )for their efforts.
The pride of Tacloban City, Leyte Malazarte is one of the top players of San Antonio Chess Club in San Antonio, Texas and member of the Philippine Executive Chess Association (PECA). He is also a chess instructor in San Antonio, Texas.
"But with some luck, my good health and condition, my experience still prevailed in the games I [played]. It was a strong tournament.,” said the 65-years-old Malazarte who obtained his coveted United States Chess Federation (USCF) Master title in 2012.
"Congratulation USCF Master Ernesto Malazarte! You made the country proud," said Philippine Executive 7-times Champion Dr. Jenny Mayor, a close confidante of Malazarte.
The tournament was organized by the Continental Chess Association under the direction of Bill Goichberg, a former president for the US Chess Federation.
In the Open section, Ukrainian Grandmaster Nyzhnyk took first place with 7.5 points in nine outings and went home $20,500. Cuban Grandmaster Lazaro Bruzon, Russian Grandmaster Alex Shimanov, American Grandmaster Aleksandr Lenderman and Armenian Grandmaster Tigran Petrosian finished in a tie for second to fifth places with 7 points each. Each of them received $4,700.
Rounding up the top-14 circle (6.5 points each) were Grandmaster Le Quang Liem of Vietnam, Grandmaster Dariusz Swiercz of Poland, Grandmaster Alexander Ipatov of Turkey,Grandmaster Samuel Sevian of USA, Grandmaster Ilya Smirin of Israel, Grandmaster Awonder Liang, Grandmaster John Burke, Grandmaster Irina Krush and International Master Joshua Sheng of USA.(Marlon Bernardino)