Barbosa on a roll

Barbosa on a roll, wins 14th US chess title
abs-cbnNEWS.com 06/17/2009 8:57 PM

MANILA – International Master (IM) Oliver Barbosa of the Philippines continued his winning streak in the United States as he emerged the overall champion in the 6th Annual George Washington Open International Chess Championships.

Barbosa settled for a draw over IM Adu Oladapo in the fifth and final round of the tournament held last June 13 to 14 in Sterling, Virginia.

The Rizal native IM now has 14 US chess titles which he won in a span of three months, from April to June.

In the George Washington Open International Chess Championships, Barbosa and Oladapo finished with 4.5 points, the same output of IM Lawrence Charles Kaufman, FM Tegshsuren Enkhbat and Darwin Li.

But after the tiebreak points were applied, Barbosa claimed the coveted chess plum in the event organized by Virginia Chess Federation and supervised by Chief Tournament Director Michael Atkins.

Other Filipino entrants were Deodato Noel Obregon (4.0 points), William Marcelino (3.5 points), Allan Salgado (3.0 points), and Hercules “Herky” del Mundo (2.0 points).

In his three-month campaign in the US, Barbosa already beat the likes of Israeli GM Leonid Yudasin and American GM Michael Rohde, among others.

While his 14th US chess title was won in Virginia, Barbosa’s 13 other triumphs were all clinched in New York.

He won at the Original 4 rated Games Tonight (April 9), Marshall CC Saturday Game 60 (April 11), Marshall CC Sunday Game 60 (April 12), 10 Grand Prix Points Tonight (April 16), Original 4 rated Games Tonight (April 23), and 10th Bowyer Memorial GP (April 25).

Barbosa went on to succeed at the 10 Points Older Tonight (May 7), PCC 05109 Swiss in Forest Hills (May 10), Original 4 rated Games Tonight (May 21), NY May Open (May 24), Polgar Chess May 2009 G90 (May 26), Original 4 rated Games Tonight (May 28) and Original 4 rated Games Tonight (June 11). Marlon Bernardino