Mascarinas, Bitoon in 4-Way tie at Singapore chess tourney

Rico Yap Mascarinas of Tuburan, Cebu
Rico Yap Mascarinas of Tuburan, Cebu

International Master Rico Yap Mascarinas and Jimson Bitoon downed their respective foes to lead the Philippines’ charge in the fourth round of the Singapore Chess Federation (SCF) Training Tournament (Standard time control) Saturday night (July 21, 2018) being held at the Singapore Intellectual Games Centre in Bishan Community Club in Singapore.

Mascarinas, the pride of Tuburan, Cebu who played in eight Chess Olympiads (1976, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1992) outlasted Sean Christian Goh of Singapore while Bitoon, from Cebu City and a BSBA major in Human Resource graduate student at DLS-College of St. Benilde (CSB) defeated another local bet Yu Zhe Ashton Chia after 50 moves of Sicilian Alapin to zoom to a four-way tie at first place with perfect 4.0 points each that includes International Master (IM) Enrique Paciencia and Peng Keong Lee of Singapore.

Paciencia subdued Xuan Rui Ethan Poh of Singapore while Lee beat compatriot Arena Candidate Master (ACM) Adithya Elara Rajesh.

Jimson is a nephew of US-based Grandmaster (GM) Richard Bitoon while Paciencia, a native of Tacloban City will spearhead Singapore Chess Team in the upcoming 43rd Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia on September 23 to October 6, 2018.

Jimson is the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the season 84 of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) chess tournament leading DLS-CSB into victory.

Paciencia, on the other hand, is a former top player of Adamson University during his College days under the tutelage of International Master (IM) Petronio Roca change his federations (NCFP) to Singapore Chess Federation.

Arena Grandmaster (AGM) and Fide Master (FM) elect Roberto Ramos Suelo Jr. ended his game into a fighting draw against young and talented Ethan Goh of Singapore.

Suelo, an active member of the International Churches of Christ (ICOC) in Singapore and former top player of Barangay Malamig, Rizal Technological University (RTU) in Mandaluyong City now has 3.5 points, on account of three wins and a draw in four outings, the same output of Fide Master Andrean Susilodinata and Roy Marpaung of Indonesia and Yujing Ong of Singapore.