GM Short stands tall in Negros Chess

As predicted, Cebuano International Master Kim Steven Yap landed at seventh place after the 2017 Negros International Chess Championship in Bacolod City yesterday.

Yap, who dropped as far as the 21st place after round 5, scored 3.5 points in the final four rounds to finish the nine-round Swiss System competition with 6.0 points. He gained a share of the fourth to the eight places with GM Srinath Naranayan of India, Filipino GM Joey Antonio, IMs Ming Than Tran of Vietnam and Filipino Oliver Dimakiling.

The tournament was won by top seed GM Nigel Short of England, who finished unbeaten with seven wins and two draws for a total of 8.0 points.

Yap failed to win the much-coveted GM norm as his performance rating was only 2350, which is far below the required rating.

The Cebuano top pawn pusher defeated Michael Concio Jr. in Round 1, drew with Daniel Quizon, defeated Rommel Ganzon, lost to GM Short and Jayson Salubre, drew with Michael Joseph Pagaran and defeated NM John Marvin Miciano, Danmaersk Mangao and NM Merben Roque on his way to finish seventh.

IM Yap pocketed $700 for his feat, while Short pocketed the lion’s share of $2,500 champion’s prize.

Yap was the top-performing Cebuano in the tournament. Montoya finished ninth with 5.5 points; Roque finished 16th with 5.0 points; NM Elwin Retanal finished at 18th place also with 5.0 points; Rommel Ganzon finished at 30th place with 4.0 points; John Jerish Velarde was at 34th also with 4.0 points; Pagaran finished at 37th place with 3.5 points; and Mark Mangubat finished at 39th place with 3.5 points. /