Laylo, Barbosa post last-gasp wins, share 2nd in Pattaya

Final Standings: 7.5 points—GM Zhao Zongyuan (Australia); 7.0—IM Wan Yunguo (China), GM Jan Gustafsson (Germany), GM Levente Vajda (Romania), GM Hansen Sune Berg (Denmark), GM Darwin Laylo (Philippines), GM Oliver Barbosa (Philippines)

FILIPINO Grandmasters Darwin Laylo and Oliver Barbosa hurdled their last-round foes Sunday to share second place in the Bangkok Chess Championship won by Australian GM Zhao Zongyuan in Pattaya, Thailand.

Laylo downed Indonesian GM Susanto Megaranto in 38 moves of the Old Benoni defense while Barbosa trounced Indian International Master Roy Saptarshi in 40 of a Queen’s Pawn game to finish at 7.0 points along with four others.

Zhao made a three-move draw with Chinese IM Wan Yunguo to clinch the title with 7.5 points on six wins and three draws.

After the tiebreak was applied, Wan—who also got a GM result—emerged second. German GM Jan Gustafssony placed third, Romanian GM Levente Vajda fourth and Danish GM Hansen Sune Berg fifth.

Hansen drew with Gustafsson while Vajda bested German GM Gerhard Schebler.

GM Joey Antonio Jr. halved the point with Chinese IM Wang Chen after 48 moves of a Sicilian Defense to place eighth with 6.5 points.

GM Mark Paragua wound up with 6.0 points, in a tie with compatriots Fide Master Hamed Nouri and GM John Paul Gomez. Roy Luarca