GM Paragua Wins Philippine Sports Commission Cup in Manila

GM Mark Paragua of the Philippines won the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Cup International Chess Championship held 13-21 January 2013 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.

Paragua received the top prize of US$6,000 in the US$30,000 SMART-sponsored 9 round Swiss tournament hosted by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) headed by it's Chairman Ricardo Garcia and organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP). A total of 70 players from 6 countries saw action in the Swiss System event including 8 GMs, 8 IMs, 1 WIM, 10 FMs and 2 WFMs.

See chess-results.com for final standings and pgn files of all games.
http://www.chess-results.com/tnr89840.aspx?art=13&lan=1&wi=821

Paragua cops Asian Indoor chess berth

MANILA, Philippines - GM Mark Paragua and veteran campaigner Catherine Perena shared the limelight recently at the close of the Asian Indoor Games qualifying tournament held at the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) Employees’ Lounge in Diliman, Quezon City.

Paragua swept his remaining three matches against Mari Joseph Turqueza, Ali Branzuela and GM Buenaventura “Bong”Villamayor to clinch top honors with 12.5 points on 10 wins, five draws and only one loss in the tough, 17-player tournament.

He finished one and a half points ahead of top seed GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. and two points ahead of IM Rolando Nolte.

The win solidified Paragua’s claim as one of the country’s top players and enabled him to clinch one of four berths to the Philippine team seeing action in the Asian Indoor Games scheduled Sept. 30-Oct. 8 in Vietnam.

Joining Paragua will be Antonio, Nolte and GM Jayson Gonzales, who edged fellow GM Darwin Laylo for the fourth and last seat.