The participants of the Handos Bira Open Chess Tournament 2022 pose for a group photo. | Contributed Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — One of Toledo City Trojans’ highly-regarded woodpusher, Rommel Ganzon, emerged as the champion of the “Handos-Bira Open Chess Tournament 2022” at the Cebu Chess Hub in Robinson’s Galleria Cebu on Friday, April 1, 2022.
Ganzon finished the seven-round Swiss system format tournament with 6.0 points, outperforming 49 other competitors in the over-the-board chess tilt. He finished with five wins and two draws which converts to 6.0 points.
Ganzon also campaigns for the Trojans in the ongoing in the southern division semifinals of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) All-Filipino Conference.
He started his campaign with three straight wins, beating Carl Patrick Pacilan in round one, his teammate with the Trojans Redentor Nailon in round two, and Jose Faunus Fernandez in round three.
Ganzon then had two successive draws in the fourth and fifth rounds versus Mario Mangubat and his teammate Bonn Rainauld Tibod.
However, he managed to snatch two more victories in the sixth and seventh round by routing Carl Niño Capul and another teammate with the Trojans Christopher Tubalado.
On the other hand, Richard Natividad who also plays for the Trojans finished second with 5.5 points while his teammate, National Master (NM) Merben Roque captured the third spot with 5.5 points as well. Natividad earned higher accumulated tie-break points to place second over NM Roque.
Fourth to 10th placers were Tibod (5.5), Allan Salientes (5.5), Mangubat (5.5), Capul (5.0), Anthony Makinano (5.0), Tubalado (5.0), and Allerito Somosot (5.0) respectively. They were all ranked according to their total tie-break points.
With the victory, Ganzon pocketed the whopping P10,000 purse while Natividad went home with P6,000 and NM Roque with P4,000. The fourth to 10th placers also receive cash prizes from sponsor, Hector Ginete.
Other special awardees of the tournament are Nicole Mae Mangubat (top lady performer), Ranzeth Marco Magallanes (top kiddie), and Mario Mangubat (top senior).
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