PHL teener IM Miciano holds GM Van Foreest for 12th place finish in the Netherlands chessfest

INTERNATIONAL Master (IM) John Marvin Miciano held second seed Grandmaster (GM) Jorden Van Foreest of the Netherlands to a 57move draw of a King’s Indian Attack in the ninth and final round to finish at the 12th place in the 22nd Hogeschool Zeeland chess tournament in Vlissingen, the Netherlands Saturday night.

Miciano, 17, couldn’t find anything out of his dangerous pair of bishops and a slight positional edge as Van Foreest forced a series of exchanges that led to the two ending up with opposite-colored bishops and two pawns apiece for the truce.

Miciano thus ended up in a nine-player group at 11th spot with 6.5 points apiece but wound up 12th overall, a notch ahead of Van Foreest who was at 13th.

It was another solid effort for the Far Eastern University standout, who was 11th in the 44th Open Internacional Escacs Vila De Sitges in Spain late last month.

Miciano’s coach, GM Jayson Gonzales, fought Indian IM P Shyaamnikhil in 105 moves of an English Opening to likewise finish in the former’s group with 6.5 points.

Woman GM Janelle Mae Frayna, whose trip is backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and The Philippine STAR president and chief executive officer Miguel Belmonte, lost to Dutch IM Casper Schoppen and finished 45th with 5.5 points.

After the tournament, the three quickly rode a train straight to Bruges, Belgium and entered in the Bruges Masters 2018 that started last night.

It will be the fifth and final tournament the Filipinos are participating in Europe as they head to Malaysia for the Malaysian Open next week before heading back home.