GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Swiss GM Li Min Peng beat Filipino International Master Christian Gian Carlo Arca in a tense winner-take-all match and ruled the Manny Pacquiao International Chess Open on Friday, Feb. 27, at the Family Country Hotel here
Born in Ukraine but now plays for Switzerland, Peng, 29, finished the 9-round tournament tied with Sweden’s Platon Galperin with similar 7 points.
But it was Peng who took the title worth $20,000 on account of having the superior Buccholz tiebreak points ahead of his former compatriot Galperin.
Peng’s eighth round win over GM Nguyen Duc Hoa of Vietnam, coupled by his win over Arca spelled the big difference.
Galperin, who transferred to Sweden three years, received $10,000 for his effort, following wins 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.
Arca, who is being supported by Pacquiao, himself, in his quest to become Mindanao’s first grandmaster, finished eighth with six points worth $700.
Filipino GM Daniel Quizon had the same tally but took ninth place on inferior tiebreak. He settled for $600.
Defending champion IM Arif Abdul Hafiz of Indonesia also had six points and finished at 10th. The tournament coincides with the 87th Kalilangan Festival organized by the General Santos City government.
