IM Yap tops Seven Accuracy Open Rapid Chess Tournament

IM Kim Steven Yap poses for a photo with the organizers and fellow participants of the Cebu School of Chess- Accuracy Chess inaugural FIDE-Rated open rapid chess tournament. | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines—International Master (IM) Kim Steven Yap lorded the inaugural FIDE-Rated Seven Accuracy Open Rapid Chess Tournament last Sunday, June 25, 2023, at the SM Seaside City Cebu.

IM Yap, who also heads the Cebu School of Chess and serves as the head coach of the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters chess team, finished his campaign with a near-perfect 8.0 points after the nine-round competition.

He bagged the title after finishing with a higher tie-break score over fellow IM Joel Pimentel, who settled for second place with 8.0 points as well, but with a bit lower tiebreak score.

IM Yap started off with four straight wins against Lance David Gimena, Harvey De Mesa, Glydel Janine Rodrigo, and National Master (NM) Leonardo Alidani. 

However, IM Yap suffered his only defeat in the fifth round against eventual fifth overall placer NM Rommel Ganzon. 

Still, IM Yap was able to secure crucial victories in the next four rounds, including against his own player from UC Webmasters, Maria Kristine Lavandero, in the sixth round.

He went on defeating eventual third placer Allan Pason, Romelio Asoque, and Rogel Nino Panilagao.

Pason, who placed third, finished with 7.5 points and tied with Ronald Ganzon, but the former also accumulated higher tiebreak score, earning him the third spot. 

The sixth to 10th placers of the tournament were Panilagao, Bhell Ortiz, FIDE Master (FM) Bertil Svendsen, NM Rogelio Enriquez Jr., and Lavandero, respectively.

Svendsen, who hails from Norway, was the lone foreign contender in the tournament. 

/bmjo

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