Malita, Davao Occidental native National Master (NM) Elwin Retanal delivered a stunning performance to win the 2nd Only Move International FIDE Rated Rapid Chess Tournament held at Alfaisal University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, early Sunday morning (Philippine time).
Retanal completed a perfect 7.0 out of 7 points in the Swiss-system tournament, sweeping all his matches against top-caliber international opponents.
The former 1997 Philippine Junior Chess Champion opened his campaign with wins over Yousuf Omar Gharib, Balamurugan Rithita, and Arena International Master Nasser Asain. He then outclassed Jordanian Master Ghayth Ababneh and Saudi Olympiad team member Mohammed Alaqeel Abdulaziz in the next two rounds.
Retanal’s impressive run continued with back-to-back victories over Egyptian Grandmaster Abdelrahman Hesham and FIDE Master Hatem Eldesoky to seal the championship.
His unbeaten run earned him the tournament’s top prize of 6,000 Saudi Riyal, equivalent to around P90,500.
Retanal’s triumph is a proud moment for Malita and the entire Philippine chess community, proving once again that Filipino talents can shine brightly on the world stage.(Bob Braceros)
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