Oliver Barbosa top Filipino finisher in Vietnam chess

Grandmaster Oliver Barbosa defeated compatriot and fellow GM John Paul Gomez to become the top Filipino finisher in the 2nd HD Bank Cup International Open Chess tournament 2012 at the HD Bank Head office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam late Wednesday.

Barbosa sealed his sixth point with the black pieces, winding up in a logjam for the eighth to 14th places with five wins, two loses and two draws.

GM Ni Hua of China drew with GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son of Vietnam in the final round to capture the title plus the top $10,000 prize.

Ni finished with 8 points, half a point ahead of solo second place GM Le Quang Liem of Vietnam.

Truong Son, meantime finished in a tie for 3rd to 7th places with GM Xie Deshun and Wan Yunguo of China, IM Nguyen Van Huy and GM Tu Hoang Thong of Vietnam.