Paragua clinches World Cup berth
Final Standings:
7.0 points—GM Li Chao (China); 6.5—GM Mark Paragua (PH), GM Oliver Barbosa (PH), GM Le Quang Liem (Vietnam), GM Baskaran Adhiban (India), GM Krishnan Sasikiran (India); 6.0—GM Julio Catalino Sadorra (PH)
IT’S BACK to the World Cup for Grandmaster Mark Paragua.
Forging draws against higher-rated rivals in the last two rounds, Paragua wound up with 6.5 points and finished behind the winner, Chinese GM Li Chao (7.0 points) in the $100,000 Manny Pacquiao Cup Asian Continental Chess Championship yesterday at Midas Hotel and Casino in Pasay City.
The 29-year-old Paragua split the point with Indian GM Krishnan Sasikiran of India in the eighth round on Saturday night, then agreed to a truce with Li in the ninth and final round to become the third Filipino World Cup qualifier.
GMs Oliver Barbosa and Wesley So earlier advanced to the biennial event slated in Tromso, Norway in August.
Barbosa, who qualified by way of a top five finish in the 2012 Asian Continental held in Vietnam, actually matched Paragua’s output in the tournament sponsored by eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao and supported by Cafè Puro, Alaxan, Oriental and Motolite.
The US-based So, who missed the event, qualified through a second-palce finish in the Asian 3.3 Zonals held in Tagaytay City early this year.
Another US-based Filipino, GM Catalino Sadorra, bested GM Dao Thien Hai of Vietnam after 34 moves of the Slav defense but fell short with six points.
