Barbosa collars KL chess title

Final standings

7.0 pts — IM Oliver Barbosa (Philippines)

6.5 pts — IM Jahongir Vakhidov (Uzbekistan), IM Richard Bitoon (Philippines)

5.5 pts — IM Das Arghyadip (India)

4.5 pts — GM Tahir Vakhidov (Uzbekistan)

4.0 pts — IM Goh Wei Ming (Singapore)

Filipino Oliver Barbosa made it a double celebration in the DYTM Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah Invitational Masters by winning the overall title on Saturday and earning his third and final grandmaster norm in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Barbosa finished with 7.0 points to bag the overall title and the 4,000 RM prize. The former University of the Philippines top player earned his final GM norm in the eighth and penultimate round when he tallied 6.5 points then captured the title with a final round draw with former Asian junior champion Vietnamese GM Nguyen Anh Dung.

Another Filipino entry Richard Bitoon of Medellin, Cebu beat Uzbek GM Tahir Vakhidov  in the ninth round to also earn his third and final GM norm.

Bitoon and IM Jahongir Vakhidov of Uzbekistan tied for second and third with 6.5 points each with the latter earning his first GM norm after drawing with Singapore Grandmaster Wong Meng Kong.

Barbosa and Bitioon will still have to wait for a while for their GM title which will still be deliberated in the next FIDE congress.

They are set to join the country’s elite GM circle which includes Eugene Torre, Rogelio Antonio Jr., Buenaventura Villamayor, Nelson Mariano II, Mark Paragua, Wesley So, Darwin Laylo, Jayson Gonzales, John Paul Gomez, Joseph Sanchez, Roland Salvador, Rogelio Barcenilla Jr., Julio Catalino Sadorra and the late Rosendo Balinas Jr.

Meanwhile, in the Swiss-System competition, IM Nguyen Doc Hoa of Vietnam drew with Filipino International Master Edgar Reggie Olay to score 7.5 points and bag the coveted title.

Olay, who secured his third and final IM norm in the penultimate round, finished with 6.5 points, the same output of compatriots IM Oliver Dimakiling, IM Kim Steven Yap of Cebu City and IM Yves Ranola, IM Tirta Purnama Chandra of Indonesia and IM Liu Qingnan of China.

Olay though, needs to improve his ELO rating from 2303 to 2400 to become a full-pledged IM. /Correspondent Marlon Bernardino