FINAL STANDINGS:
7.0 -- J. Gonzales
6.5 -- W. So, Y. Kuzubov (Ukraine), E. Torre, B. Villamayor
6.0 -- R. Andador
5.5 -- O. Barbosa, R. Nolte, Z.H. Wynn (Myanmar), H. Mas (Malaysia), S. Megaranto (Indonesia), D. Ballecer, R. Olay, R. Bitoon, J. Sadorra, C. Garma, O.K. Nay (Myanmar), S. Irwanto ((Indonesia), J. Gomez, Tirto (Indonesia), A. Novita (Indonesia), C. Kosasish (Indonesia), R. Antonio, K. Yang (China), Y. Wan (China), B. Nadera.

AFTER ten long years, newly-installed Grandmaster-elect Jayson Gonzales finally won his first international title when he ruled the tough 2008 Subic Open International Chess Championship at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center, on Friday.

Gonzales, an enlisted member of the Philippine Army, trounced compatriot and former RP junior champion NM Rolando Andador after 43 moves of a Slav Defense in the ninth and final round to tally 7.0 points.

?Sa wakas,? said the soft-spoken Gonzales in a long distance interview with this writer yesterday.

Aside from pocketing the $5,000 champion?s purse, Gonzales also set the record as the first-ever Filipino chesser to win the Subic Open International Chess Championship.

?Napakasarap kasi ako ang unang Filipino player na nagkampeon sa Subic Chess at timing na timing ganito din ako noong 1998 na kauna-unahang Filipinong nagkampeon sa Southern California International Open Chess,? said Gonzales, who will lead a bunch of Filipino players against Myanmar in a goodwill match on Monday in Tagaytay City.

The Quezon City-based Gonzales, currently No. 8 in the April 2008 Fide rating list with 2490 points after getting 22 more points for his superb performance in the Subic Open, needs 10 more Elo rating points to formally earn his GM title.

SO CLINCHES SECOND SPOT

Meanwhile, four players including tournament favorite Ukrainian GM Yuriy Kuzubov and Filipino grandmasters Wesley So, Eugene Torre and Bong Villamayor tied at 2nd to 5th places after tallying identical 6.5 points each.

So and Kuzubov agreed to a quick 11-move draw of their Sicilian encounter while Torre and Villamayor won their final round assignments.

Torre defeated IM IM Zaw Htun Wynn of Myanmar while Villamayor crushed former national junior champion Oliver Barbosa.

So, at 14, the world's youngest GM, finished second-overall due to A higher tiebreak score. Kuzubov (ELO 2603) came in third, followed by Torre and Villamayor. All four received $2,625 each.

Andador, a mainstay of the Philippine National Police who barely missed a GM norm, settled for sixth place with six points. He won $1,000 and earned an IM norm.

Twenty players, led by GM Joey Antonio, Barbosa and IM-candidate Rolando Nolte, finished in a tie for seventh to 26th spots with 5.5 points. They each won $675.