CHESS | Manny Pacquiao International Chess Open | General Santos City, Philippines: Peng edges Galperin on tiebreak, wins Pacquiao Chess Open title
Photo: For Illustration only
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General Santos City — Grandmasters Li Min Peng of Switzerland and Platon Galperin of Sweden took different roads to finish tied for first and second places at the conclusion of the prize-rich Manny Pacquiao International Chess Open Friday at the Family Country Hotel here.
Peng, however, received the trophy and the $20,000 top purse on superior Buccholz tiebreak points, ahead of his former compatriot Galperin.
Both Peng and Galperin were both born in Ukraine. A massive diaspora forced citizens to look for new domiciles following the 2022 march of Russian troops into the border.
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The 29-year-old Peng now lives in Switzerland only two years ago while Galperin, 22, transferred to Sweden three years ago.
Peng won against prodigious Filipino International Master Christian Gian Carlo Arca in the final round in a tense winner-take-all Reti battle after Galperin, erstwhile solo leader heading into the final round, agreed to a quick draw with sixth seed N.R. Visakh of India also in the ninth round.
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Peng’s eighth round win over GM Nguyen Duc Hoa of Vietnam, coupled by his win over Arca was enough for him to finish with seven points, matching Galperin’s tally.
Both finished unbeaten after they were held to four draws earlier and were waiting for the breakout games. They did not get paired in the Swiss system tournament.
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Galperin received $10,000 for his effort, following with over third seed GM Jingyao Tin of Singapore and ertswhile leader solo leader GM Novendra Priasmoro of Indonesia. Priasmoro and Bulgarian GM Arkadij Naiditsch were stalled in the eighth and ninth round and finished with 6.5 points along with N.R. Visakh of India and second seed GM Pa Iniyan of India and Sweden’s Vitaly Sivukh.
Naiditsch took third place and the $5,000 prize; Priasmoro received $4,000 at fourth place, Visakh took home $3,000 at fifth and Iniyan, $2,000 at sixth and Sivuk, $1,000.
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Arca, who is being supported by Pacquiao in his quest to become Mindanao’s first chess grandmaster, finished eighth with six points.
Filipino GM Daniel Quizon had the same tally but took ninth place on inferior tiebreak.
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Last year’s champion IM Arif Abdul Hafiz of Indonesia also had six points and finished at 10th place.
The tournament coincides with the 87th Kalilangan Festival organized by the General Santos City government.
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