Pinoy chesser Barbosa finishes tied for 2nd in Moscow Open

Final standings: (Russians unless stated) 8 points — V. Belous 7.5 — W. Zhou (Chna), Y. Yu (China), F. Amonatov (Tajikistan), I. Kovalenko (Ukraine), M. Matlakov, S. Voitsekhovsky, S. Tiviakov (Netherlands). O. Barbosa (Philippines) 7 — N. Kabanov, Y. Lou (China), M. Turov, A. Lenderman (United States), I. Bukavshin, A. Fillipov (Uzbekistan), D. Kryakvin, A. Kharlov, A. Demchenko, D. Prolyanov, R., Ziatdinov (United States), M. Panamin, K.Kuderinov (Kazakhstan), A. Gabrielian. 6.5 — D. Khismatullin, D. Obolenskikh, J. Gomez (Philippines), K.Chemyshov, P. Kotsur (Kazakhstan), R. Jumabayev (Kazakhstan), I. Iljiusheknok, T. Batchuluun (Mongolia), S. Volkov, A. Bezgodov, E. Borovov, Y. Yacovich, A. ,Erzhanov, J. Ulko, E. Sveshnikov (Latvia), S. Lu (China), A. Stukopin, S. Gan-Od (Mongolia), V., Hamitevici (Moldova), D. Losev, G. Morozov, A. Polvanov (Ukraine), A. Petrov, S. Vrovlansky, V. Burmakin, V. Gagarin, A. Rychagov, M. Petrosyan (Armenia) MOSCOW, Russia — Former Southeast Asian Games silver medalist IM Oliver Barbosa made the country proud anew when he finished in a tie for second to ninth places in the 2011 Moscow Open chess championships at the Russia State Social University here Sunday. Barbosa, next in line in the long list of talented Filipino IMs hoping to become a GM this year, went the full distance before humbling No. 11 seed GM Sergey Volkov of Russia in 66 moves of the Queens’ Gambit Declined to finish with 7.5 points on seven wins, one draw and one loss in the prestigious 582-player tournament. The 24-year-old Barbosa, who shared first place with GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili in the ASEAN Championship held in Singapore last December, seized control in the endgame following an exchange of queens and rooks, and gained the upper hand after Volkov blundered with his knight move on the 48th and lost his rook for a knight two moves later. The Flipino had a rook and two queening pawns against a knight when the Russian resigned. The multi-titled campaigner from Pasig City, who wound up eighth in the recent HD Bank Vietnam Open in Ho Chi Minh last month, finished strongly by winning his last four matches, including his penultimate round encounter against highly-rated GM Pavel Kotsur of Kazakhstan. Overall, Barbosa finished only half a point behind surprise winner Vladimir Belous of Russia. Belous, seeded only 38th with an ELO of 2497, upset GM Nikolai Kabanov in an all-Russian showdown to capture the title with eight points on seven wins and two draws. Barbosa wound up with the same score as GMs Zhou Weiqi and Yu Yangyi of China, GM Farrukh Amonatov of Tajikistan, IM Igor Kovalenko of Ukraine, GM Maxim Matlakov of Russia, GM Stanislav Voitsekhovsky of Russia and GM Sergey Tiviakov of the Netherlands. The Filipino, however, finished only ninth in the Buchholz tie break. Another Filipino campaigner, GM John Paul Gomez, drew with Lu Shanglei of China to finish in a tie for 24th to 51st places with 6.5 points. Gomez, who finished a fighting third in the HD Bank Vietnam Open in Ho Chi Minh, had five wins, three draws and one loss. The pride of Biñan, Laguna actually started with five wins in his first six matches but was held to a draw by lower-rated opponents in his last three assignments. National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president/chairman Prospero “Butch" Pichay congratulated Barbosa for his respectable showing, which will increase his ELO points to more than 2500. (Barbosa barely missed earning a GM norm due to five untitled players he faced in the earlier rounds). Pichay said Gomez also did well with his 5-3-1 win-draw-loss record. “The two players deserve our congratulations for playing well in Moscow. I hope they can sustain their performance when they play in the Aeroflot Open, along with GM Wesley So, starting this Tuesday," added Pichay. The Aeroflot Open, scheduled Feb. 8-16, will also be held in Moscow. So will compete in Group A (for players with ELO 2549 and above), while Barbosa, Gomez, Darwin Laylo, Richard Bitoon and Oliver Dimakiling will see action in Group B (ELO 2299 to 2550). National junior champion Paolo Bersamina is the lone Filipino entry in Group C (ELO 2300 and below). - KY, RCJ, GMA News