ELLAN Asuela of Bacolod City topped the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) second qualifying tournament held last Nov. 14.
Asuela, one of the brightest players from the Visayas, finished with 10.5 points on nine wins and three draws in the one-day competition serving as part of the selection process for PCAP member-teams in time for the Dec. 12 PCAP Draft.
Asuela finished half a point ahead of top seed GM Rogelio Antonio, Jr., Kyle Ochoa and FM AJ Literatus, who shared second to fourth places with 10 points.
Antonio, who ruled the first PCAP qualifying tournament held last month, had eight wins and four draws.
The 13-time national champion from Quezon City took runner-up honor by virtue of higher tiebreak score.
Ochoa, one of two talented chess-playing brothers from Bulacan, wound up with the same score as Antonio and Literatus with 10 wins and two losses.
Literatus had nine wins, two draws and one loss.
In solo fifth place with 9.5 points is IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia, who posted nine wins, one draw and two losses.
Three players, led by former World Youth championship campaigner Karl Victor Ochoa, shared sixth to eighth places with nine points.
Ochoa came through with eight wins, two draws and two losses.
Former Chicago champion IM Angelo Young and Rommel Ganzon also submitted nine points in a tie with Ochoa.
Completing the Top 10 finshers were Ronald Ganzon, and NM Julius Sinangote with 8.5 points apiece.
The other notable finishers are:
Top ladies — 1. Francois Magpily; 2. Glysen Derotas; 3. WIM Bernadette Galas.
Top seniors — 1. IM Ricky de Guzman; 2. Mario Mangubat; 3.NM Cesar Mariano.
PCAP president-commisisoner Atty. Paul Elauria said a total of 260 players with an average rating of 2100 participated in the one-day tournament.
