Negi captures DATMO 2009. Dableo maybe the next Filipino GM (but there should be a lot more work need to be done).

The 2nd youngest GM in history, 16 year old Indian GM, Parimarjan Negi, receiving his trophy .
Photo from Malaysian Open Blog


Almost but not quite for Emmanuel Senador as he lost to Indian GM, 16 year old Parimarjan Negi in the 9th and final round. There's never any shame in losing to a player as strong as Negi, the second youngest grandmaster in the history of chess. Senador was in fine form throughout the tournament and played a nice steady game against Yu Yangyi in the 8th round. With the victory against Senador, Negi wins the 6th Dato Arthur Tan Malaysian Open 2009 via superior tie break over Filipino IM Ronald Dableo who upsets Indonesia's number one, GM Susanto Megaranto. Both Negi and Dableo finished the tourney with identical score of 7.0 points out of 9. GM Darwin Laylo halve the point with Iranian number one GM Ehsan Ghaem Maghami to finished tie for 3rd to 11th place. In the last past two editions of DATMO, Chinese GM Li Chao dominated this event. Now it belongs to a young Indian GM in the name of Parimarjan Negi. He could be staying there for quite sometime.

Prior to the final round, reports circulating around chess communities that Dableo needs to win his game against Megaranto to secure his third and final grandmaster norm. Let us see if Dableo breached the 2500 points barrier needed to become a full pledge grandmaster. Dableo's current FIDE rating is just 2417 (pardon me, I don't know his current live rating). Surely, this will improve after DATMO but there should be a lot more work need to be done. CH will thoroughly clarify this development first after the smoke of the tourney completely cleared. Emmanuel Senador on the other hand may finally get the title of International Master after his great performance and his first GM norm in the process. All this need final clarification, though.

On the other side of the tournament, Filipinos dominated the AmBank Chess Challenge by occupying the top three spot. Samson Lim Jr, Rodolfo Panopio Jr and Roel Ablegas all finished the challenge with 7.0 points but going down to superior tie break points, it was Samson Lim who emerges the champion.

Final standings is HERE


DATMO 2009 top 15 finishers

1. GM Negi Parimarjan (IND) (2590) - 7 points (BH=49.5)
2. IM Dableo Ronald (PHI) (2417) - 7 points (BH=48)
3. GM Ghaem Maghami, Ehsan (IRI) (2589) - 6.5 points
4. Senador Emmanuel (PHI) (2372) - 6.5 points
5. GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son (VIE) (2592) - 6.5 points
6. GM Laylo Darwin (PHI) (2494) - 6.5 points
7. GM Schebler, Gerhard (GER) (2486) - 6.5 points
8. Yu Yangyi (CHN) (2510) - 6.5 points
9. GM Iuldachev Saidali (UZB) (2518) - 6.5 points
10. Xiu Deshun (CHN) (2515) - 6.5 points
11. GM Li Chao b (CHN) (2634) - 6.5 points
12 GM Megaranto Susanto (INA) (2534) - 6 points
13. GM Nguyen Anh Dung (VIE) (2474) - 6 points
14. FM Mok Tze-Meng (MAS) (2343) - 6 points
15. Yu Lie (CHN) (2340) - 6 points


AmBank Chess Challenge 2009

Champion - Samson Lim Jr (PHI) - 7 points
Second - Rodolfo Panopio Jr (PHI) - 7 Points
Third - Roel Abelgas (PHI) - 7 points
Fourth - Jax Tham (MAS) - 6.5 points
Fifth - Tan Kok Liang (MAS) - 6.5 points
Sixth - Nor Ilhamuddin (MAS) - 6 points
Seventh - Izz Saifuddin (MAS) - 6 points
Eighth - Cheah Cheok Fung (MAS) - 6 points
Ninth - Fadli Zakaria (MAS) - 6 points
Tenth - Ooi Li Tao (MAS) - 6 points

Best Lady - Renitha Narayanan - 5 points
Best U-16 - Tan Jun Feng - 5 points
Best U-12 - Tan Li Ting - 5 points