Definitely, they will be a notch up na vs the likes of Hungary, Israel and even Vietnam.

Now where does that leave the Philippines? I think we may even have a hard time securing that half point from hereon, our past clashes in the Olympiad and Asian Games were 0.5-3.5 losses.

Having a MAGNIFICENT run is GM Gata Kamsky na may FANTASTIC match vs GM Mamedyarov, a fine attacking game in their first game which IM Trent hailed as 'the attack of the tournament', and last night's game 2 was slambang and suspenseful!

as promised, I dusted off my Chess Asia Vol 17 No. 4 to check some historical tidbits on the 2004 Asian Cities Chess held in Tagaytay (2004).

Final ranking (Top 5):

1st - Tagaytay (Phi) 25.0
2nd - Guangzhou (Chn) 25.0
3rd - Mandaluyong City (Phi)22.5
4th - Pasay City (Phi) 22.5
5th - Pavlodar (Kaz) 22.5

Champion Tagaytay City was headed by GM Eugene Torre on Board 1. Below are the other team members:

Bd 2 - GM Joey Antonio
Bd 3 - GM Bong Villamayor
Bd 4 - IM Ronald Dableo
Bd 5 - IM Jayson Gonzales

The Tolentinos still handle Tagaytay and they have the means to get together a competitive team.

MARTIN TOPS DUGOUT SPORTS EXECUTIVE CHESS TOURNEY

Final Standings/ rankings: ( Six round Swiss-system/ 27 player's field)

5.0 points---Ricardo Martin, Philip King Cartagena
4.5 points---Almario Marlon Bernardino Jr., Quirino Sagario 4.0 points---Joselito Dormitorio, Franz Barretto, Ruben Monte, Wilfredo Neri 3.5 points---Kirk Jeremias, Luie Dador
3.0 points---Daisy Rivera, Emiliano Colindres, Noel Garcia, Renato Domaycos, Erven Perlas, Florendo Batasin Jr., Amado Labarda 2.5 points---Noel Tejada, Raymundo Marras, Loren Tabilog 2.0 points---Johnny Teves, Jhun Del Mundo, Chester Yonzon, Rudy Artuz 1.5 points---Graciano Gomez Jr., Bino Tibez, Marc Anthony Lingbawan

BUSINESSMAN Ricardo Martin settled for a draw against sportswriter and radio commentator Almario Marlon Bernardino Jr. after 30 moves of King's Indian Defense in the sixth and final round to rule the just concluded Executive chess circuit at the Dugout Sports Bar and Grill on Saturday at One Joroma Place, Congressional Ave., corner San Beda St., Barangay Toro in Quezon City.

Martin posted a final tally of 5.0 points with four wins and two draw after six rounds of play to claim the inauguration Dugout Sports Executive chess circuit title organized by Asia's First Grandmaster Eugene Torre and National Master Samuel Estimo and officiated by International Arbiter Erwin Carag and National Arbiter Alex Dinoy.

Actually, the Bicol province bet Martin took the title due to higher tie break points against fellow five pointers Bureau International Revenue (BIR) employee Philip King Cartagena.

The former University of Sto. Tomas (UST) mainstay Cartagena, 2013 Bureau International Revenue Blitz chess champion, defeated Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) employee Joselito Dormitorio after 50 moves of Modern Benoni Defense.

Martin received elegant trophy, P3,500 and a chess for his effort while Cartagena pocketed P3,500 and a chess set.

Bernardino, on the other hand, finished in a two-way tie for third place with fellow 4.5 pointers lawyer Quirino Sagario, who brought downed businessman Kirk Jeremias after 45 moves of Queen's Pawn Game. Bernardino and Sagario split the combined prize of P1,500 with the former (Bernardino) went home a chess set prize.

I miss exact dates of the rounds. Would anyone by chance have access to these? Or where can they be found? I know that the tournaments (or at least the first one) was sent directly every day on Philippine TV. And possibly there were reports in Manila Times or other newspapers.

Pano ba mechanics, yung nag champion eh seeded na sa FINALS?

Dugout Sports: Executive chess 2nd leg set

FOLLOWING a successful inaugural tournament on Aug. 24, the Executive Chess Circuit resumes on Sept. 7 at the Dugout Sports Bar and Grill at One Jorama Place, Congressional Avenue corner San Beda Street, Barangay Toro in Quezon City.

Ricardo Martin, a businessman from Bicol, topped the first leg with a score of 5 points in six rounds. He is expected to defend his title in the second leg of the circuit organized by Grandmaster Eugene Torre and National Master Sammy Estimo.

The field is limited to 40 players on a first-come, first-served basis.

September 28 to October 7, 2013

I. PARTICIPANTS

Men’s Division

GM Rogelio Antonio, Jr. WNMBernadette Galas
GM Oliver Barbosa WIM Catherine Perena GM Rogelio Barcenilla Jr. WFM Rulp Ylem Jose GM Richard Bitoon WFM Cherry Ann Mejia
GM John Paul Gomez WFM Marie Antoinette San Diego
GM Darwin Laylo WNM Jedara Docena
GM Mark Paragua WNM Janelle Mae Frayna
GM Eugene Torre WNM Jan Jodilyn Fronda
IM Joel Pimentel Krizza Lyn Abasolo
IM Emmanuel Senador Ynna Sophia Canape
IM Richelieu Salcedo III Jean Karen Enriquez
FM Roderick Nava Arvie Lozano
NM Jony Habla Shania Mae Mendoza
NM Narquinden Reyes Gladys Hazelle Romero

II. TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS

A. TOURNAMENT FORMAT

1. The tournament shall be governed by the FIDE Laws of Chess. 2. Single Round-Robin
3. Time control is NINETY (90) MINUTES with 30 seconds increment for each player to make all the moves necessary to finish the game, using the DGT chess clocks. 4. Agreed draws before the completion of Black’s 30TH MOVE shall not be allowed. (Exception – three-fold repetition of position or stalemate before the 30th move.) 5. Recording of moves in Algebraic notation from start to finish is mandatory. 6. The use of mobile phones and other electronic means of communication inside the playing area while the games are in progress is strictly prohibited. A player who will violate this provision shall lose his/her game by forfeiture. 7. Defaulting time shall be sixty minutes after the start of each round. 8. Tie-Breaks – the following tie-break systems in descending order of priority, shall be used to determine the final ranking of the players at the end of the tournament:

a. Direct Encounter
b. S.B. System
c. KOYA System
d. More number of wins