FILIPINO Grandmaster (GM) John Paul Gomez has never lost hope that he will once again rise to the summit as the Philippines’ best of the best.
On Tuesday, the 38-year-old Olympiad veteran completed his comeback after dominating the Philippine National Open Chess Championship in Alicia, Isabela.
Mr. Gomez shared a point with International Master (IM) Joel Banawa, a local bet, in the 21 races of the Caro-kann meeting and finished with 8.5 points that secured him a place to travel to the Southeast Asian Games next year in Thailand.
The champion pocketed a R120,000 bag in honor of Alicia Mayor Joel Amos Alejandro.
It also ended a long and winding journey back to the top after last winning the event 11 years ago.
Overall, Mr. Gomez now has three crowns, including her 2008 victory that began an impressive career that saw her make the Olympiad team seven times.
Paulo Bersamina, who beat Alexis Emil Maribao in 42 games for the Sicilian, and Daniel Quizon, who knocked out IM Jem Garcia in the 74th Marathon of the King’s Indian, ended up tied for the no. 2 with eight points each.
But Mr. Bersamina came second with the rule of winning the other since he took out the rugs under Mr. Quizon in the opening round.
They put in P75,000 each.
FIDE Master Mark Jay Bacojo eliminated Vince Angelo Medina in a 30-game Queen’s Pawn duel to settle for sole No. 4 with 7.5 points and a prize worth P40,000.
Mr. Garcia dropped to fifth place with seven points and took home the consolation prize of P20,000. – Joey Villar
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