by Marlon Bernardino
Final Standings: (Nine Round Swiss-System, Three Minutes plus two seconds increment, 86 players)
7.5 points---FM David Elorta
7.0 points---IM Paulo Bersamina, FM Stephen Rome Pangilinan, IM Oliver Dimakiling, FM Austin Jacob Literatus, IM Angelo Young
6.5 points---GM Darwin Laylo, WGM Janelle Mae Frayna, FM Mari Joseph Turqueza
6.0 points---Don Tyrone Delos Santos, Darry Bernardo, FM Alekhine Nouri, IM Chris Ramayrat Jr., FM Nelson "Elo" Mariano III, NM John Merill Jacutina, IM Ricardo de Guzman, Manasseh Jao
FIDE Master (FM) David Elorta reinforced his position as one of the Philippines’ top chess players when he ruled the Christmas Open Blitz Chess Tournament dubbed as "Pamaskong Alay ng Ajedrez Blitz Fun Palaro at Pagtipon-tipon" at the Philippine Academy For Chess Excellence (PACE) number 56 Mindanao Avenue, Project 6, Quezon City Wednesday night.
Elorta, a habitue of Tarrasch Knight Chess Club in Guadalupe Mall split the point with eight-time and 2011 Illinois state champion International Master (IM) Angelo Young in the final round to score 7.5 points in nine outings to bag the top prize P7,000 plus a chess set and certificate of achievement in the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) tournament backed up by Artillery Foundation of the Philippines Inc., (AFPI) and hosted by Philippine Academy For Chess Excellence (PACE).
No less than PACE founding head National Coach GM Jayson Gonzales led the closing rites in the one-day event supervised by Fide Arbiter Felix Poloyapoy Jr. and assisted by National Arbiters Joseph Gener "Jojo Palero" and Jerel John Velarde of the Chess Arbiter Union of the Philippines in this Nine Round Swiss-System, Three Minutes plus two seconds increment Blitz time control format which attracted 86 players.
IM Paulo Bersamina, FM Stephen Rome Pangilinan, IM Oliver Dimakiling, FM Austin Jacob Literatus and IM Angelo Young finish tied for 2nd to 6th spots with 7.0 points.
GM Darwin Laylo led a group of 6.5 pointers that includes WGM Janelle Mae Frayna and FM Mari Joseph Turqueza.
Rounding up to the top 17-circle with 6.0 points each are Don Tyrone Delos Santos, Darry Bernardo, FM Alekhine Nouri, IM Chris Ramayrat Jr., FM Nelson "Elo" Mariano III, NM John Merill Jacutina, IM Ricrado de Guzman and Manasseh Jao.-Marlon Bernardino-