FILIPINO GM PARAGUA SETTLED SECOND IN US CHESS TOURNEY

FILIPINO Grandmaster Mark Paragua settled for a truce with American Grandmaster Michael Rohde in the fourth and final round to finish into a tie for 1^st to 4^th placers in the just concluded Marshall Chess Championship last April 25 in New York, New York, USA.

Paragua, the 1998 Disneyland, France World Under-14 rapid champion and 2003 Vietnam Southeast Asian Games most bemedalled athlete score 3.5 points in four outings, the same output of GM Rohde, American IM Jay Bonin and Israeli GM Leonid Yudasin.

After the tie break points was applied, Yudasin took the title, Paragua settled 2^nd place while Rohde and Bonin filled up the top four spots.

Last April 29, Paragua lost to Bonin in the final round to fail to continue his winning ways. The 10 grand prix points was held in Chess Center in New York which topped by

American IMs Alexander Lenderman and Bonin after tallying perfect 4 points. Michael Kekelidze settled over-all third with 3.5 points, half point ahead with Paragua, GM Giorgi Kacheishvili, Rohde, Leif Pressman, Michael Hehir, and Lawrence Yates with 3 points each.

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO