MANILA, Philippines – It’s in the bag for Pinoy International Master (IM) Enrique Paciencia of the Singapore Chess Federation.
 
Paciencia settled for back-to-back wins over FIDE Master (FM) Daniel Howard Fernandez of Singapore and Akash Thakur of India on Sunday in the Commonwealth Open also known as the Singapore International Chess Festival 2009.

He virtually captured the title as there was only one round left in the tournament held at the Singapore Scouts Association.

The former Adamson University stalwart raised his total 7.0 points on 6 wins and 2 draws in 8 outings, 1.5 points ahead of Indian IM Jayaram Ashwin and Australian Master Max Illingworthon who notched 5.5 points each.

Paciencia, who hails from Tacloban, Leyte, currently competes for Singapore.

In the Singapore Challengers section, Jedara Docena toppled compatriot Mari Joseph Turqueza in the seventh then halved the point with countryman Paolo Bersamina in the eighth to grab the solo leadership board with 7.0 points going to the final canto.

Bersamina gained a share of 2nd place along with Jung Yung Hoon of Korea after tallying identical 6.5 points apiece.

Turqueza, meantime, split the point with Australian Steven O’Reilly in the eighth for his 6.0 points, the same output of O'Reilly and Indians Raghunandan Gokhale V and Yanuar Rezon.

In the ninth round, Docena will go up against Jung on Board 1, Turqueza will collide with Bersamina on Board 2, and Gokhale will meet Rezon on Board 3.

The Filipino chess campaign in Singapore is being supported by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president Prospero “Butch” Pichay, Jr.

Meanwhile, in London, Filipino-Australian Woman International Master (WIM) Arianne Bo Caoili defeated Maria Ikonomopoulou of Greece in the seventh round for her 6.0 points on Sunday.

This fortified her bid of entering the last two rounds of the Women's Invitational section dubbed as the London Chess Classic event in Olympia Conference Centre in Kensington. – by Marlon Bernardino