Barbosa captures Campomanes chess tourney

Filipino international Master Oliver Barbosa ruled the Florencio Campomanes Memorial Yangon International Open Chess 2011 at the Central Hotel Bogyoke in Yangon, Myanmar, on Monday.

Barbosa, the 2011 Moscow Open runner-up, finished with 7.5 points to pocket the top purse of $3,000 in the nine-round, 11-nation competition held in honor of the late Fide honorary president Florencio Campomanes.
Chinese Li Hanbing finished second with 7 points and went home with $1,600.

IM Richard Bitoon and Fide Master Mari Joseph Turqueza also did the country proud as they shared third to ninth places with IM Nguyen Van Huy of Vietnam, IM Atanu Lahiri and IM Dinesh Kumar Sharma of India, IM Myo Naing and Moun Moun Latt of Myanmar with 6.5 points.

The event drew players from the United States, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
National Chess Federation of the Philippines president Prospero “Butch” Pichay said Barbosa’s victory is “proof that Filipinos can really excel internationally in chess.”

Last July 3, Barbosa also topped the 2011 Artillery Foundation of the Philippines, Inc. (AFPI) “Chess for a Cause” national rapid chess championships.