CAGAYAN de Oro’s Johnnel Balquin tied for first with eventual champion Grandmaster Darwin Laylo of Manila and local bet National Master Jayson Salubre in the recently-held Open Chess Tournament in Panabo City, Davao del Norte.
All three, Laylo, Salubre, and Balquin, top-scored the eight-round rapid tourney with similar seven points each, though the top-seeded Laylo enjoyed superior tiebreak points to bag the title and the P20,000 top purse plus trophy.
Salubre and Balquin landed in second and third places after the Bucholz tiebreaker to receive P10,000 and P5,000 apiece also with trophies.
After losing to GM Laylo midway, the Barangay Carmen pride Balquin bounced back with three straight wins against Bukidnon’s Bryan Jose, Zamboanga City’s NM Joey Albert Florendo, and Manila boy International Master Ronald Dableo to catch up with Laylo and Salubre at the top.
Making the top ten in the two-day event dubbed as 4th Cong. Alan R. Dujali National Chess Open held at the Payag Grill and Folk House, Maria Clara Resorts compound in Panabo City on September 28-29 are Dableo and Gingoog City’s Allan Cantonjos at 6.5 points; and Panabo stalwart NM Henry Lopez, Florendo, Cagayan de Oro’s Nazario Ubanan, Davao Norte’s James Bulicatin, Manila’s Sherwin Tiu, Davao City’s NM Macacuna Macala, Aklan’s Allen Mirano and Arena Grandmaster Irwin Aton of Davao City at six points.
