by Marlon Bernardino
Final Standings:
(Open section)
7.5 points---IM Irine Kharisma Sukandar (Indonesia), IM Hamed Nouri (Philippines)
7.0 points---IM Haridas Pascua (Philippines), IM Sean Winshand Cuhendi (Indonesia)
6.5 poins---IM Oliver Dimakiling (Philippines), Mohd Aizan Ernando (Malaysia), IM Yeoh Li Tian (Malaysia), IM Emmanuel Senador (Philippines)
6.0 points---WFM Azman Hisham Nur Nabila (Malaysia), WFM Azman Hisham Nur Najiha (Malaysia), Eric Cheah (Malaysia), Julmiri Muhammad Zulfagar Bin Abu Baka (Malaysia)
(Junior division)
8.0 points---FM Alekhine Nouri (Philippines)
7.5 points---Abdul Rahman Afzan Hamizan (Malaysia), Abdul Seit Mohd Nurrusydi Izzat (Malaysia), Kuang Wanyi (China), Zi Cheng Brilliant (Malaysia)

FIDE Master (FM) Alekhine Fabiosa Nouri is following in his father, International Master (IM) Hamed Nouri's footsteps in more than one way as he scores his one of the biggest chess achievements.

Alekhine saw his winning the junior division in the just ended Borneo International Chess Championship 2018 (Rapid Fide rated) was held in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia over the weekend.

The 12-years-old Grade 6 pupil of multi-titled Far Eastern University (FEU) chess team, backed up by FEU chair Aurelio R. Montinola, FEU Athletic Director Mark Molina, FEU Director for Admissions and External Relations Albert Cabasada III and FEU head chess coach Grandmaster (GM) Jayson Gonzales tallied undefeated score of eight points on account of seven wins, two draws in nine outings.

Alekhine got $ 300 US dollar by topping the junior division in the 25 minutes plus 10 seconds increment, rapid time control format.

Alekhine, who was named after the great Russian world titlist Alexander Alekhine, thus became the youngest Fide Master in the world at the age of seven (7) during the 14th ASEAN + Age Group Chess Championship 2013 in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Fide Master at seven (in comparison, GM Wesley Barbasa So became an FM when he was 11, although it took him three years to get a GM title).

In the Open section, International Master Irine Kharisma Sukandar of Indonesia took the title with a higher 51 tie break points against 46 points of International Master Hamed Nouri of the Philippines. The duo notch similar 7.5 points output after nine games of play.

Sukandar went home the top prize $1,500 US Dollar while Hamed pocketed runner-up purse $1,000 US Dollar.

International Master (IM) IM Haridas Pascua of the Philippines settled for third while fellow seven pointers International Master (IM) Sean Winshand Cuhendi of Indonesia finished fourth over-all.

International Master (IM) Oliver Dimakiling of the Philippines led the huge group of 6.5 pointers in the company of Mohd Aizan Ernando and International Master (IM) Yeoh Li Tian of Malaysia and International Master (IM) Emmanuel Senador of the Philippines.-Marlon Bernardino-