Final standings:
Philippines 46.5 points, Myanmar 25.5.

The Philippines started strong and finished even much stronger, routing Myanmar, 4.5-1.5, in the 12th and final round to rule the first ?RP-Myanmar Dual Match? chess tournament at the Lake Garden Hotel in Tagaytay City over the weekend

Grandmaster (GM)-elect Jayson Gonzales, Rolando Nolte and Rolando Andador provided the decisive final-round victories for the Filipinos in the six-player, 12-round tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) under president Prospero ?Butch? Pichay and supported by the Tagaytay City government thru Mayor Abraham ?Bambol? Tolentino.

Gonzales, who earned the admiration of local chess fans by ruling the 2008 Subic Open chess championship last month, trounced Fide Master (FM) Kaw Soe Kyaw in their featured top board encounter while Nolte whipped International Master (IM) Oo Kyaw Nay. Andador crushed GM Win Lay Zaw in the other featured match.

The three other matches ended in fighting draws.

Overall, the Filipinos finished the tough, 12-round tournament with 46.5 points against the Burmese's 25.5 points.

Except in the 11th and penultimate round, the Filipinos dominated all rounds.

Myanmar averted a shutout by edging the Philippines, 3.5-2.5, in the 11th round thanks to the lone victory by FM Kyaw Lin Naing over Andador. The other five other matches were drawn.

Nolte emerged as the Filipinos? leading scorer with 10 points on eight wins and four draws. Gonzales was a close second with nine points on six wins and six draws, while Barbosa was third with eight points on six wins, four draws and two losses.

Other Filipino scorers were Andador with 7.5 points on six wins, three draws and three losses; Dino Ballecer with 6.5 points on two wins, nine draws and one loss; and Reggire Olay with 5.5 points on two wins, seven draws and three losses.

GM Win Lay Zaw, at 45 the most senior member of the six-man Myanmar team, led the visitors with seven points on four wins, six draws and two losses. IM Aung Aung finished with five points on two wins, six draws and four losses.

IM Zaw Htun Wynn, the highest-placed Burmese player in the recent Subic Open, has 4.5 points on two wins, five draws and five losses.