IM Jem Garcia books slot on Philippine team for September’s World Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan

ALL IT took was that memorable draw with former world chess champion Magnus Carlsen in a tournament less than a month ago in Bangkok, Thailand.

From there, Filipino International Master (IM) Jem Garcia was just a different man.

It was in majestic display in the Battle of the Grandmasters at the PACE in Quezon City where he earned a spot to the Philippine team seeing action in this September’s World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

With a round to go, the 30-year-old Mr. Garcia virtually secured himself one of the three tickets to Samarkand with an undefeated nine points on six wins and the same number of draws, including a quick 10-move standoff with Grandmaster (GM) Darwin Laylo in the 13^th and penultimate round on Thursday.

He could eventually end up topping the tournament organized by the NCFP and backed by AQ Prime and the PSC with another draw, this time against WIM Ruelle Canino in the last round that was being played as of this writing.

Half a point behind was Mr. Laylo, who could also punch a ticket back to the Olympiad with a split in the final round versus Janelle Mae Frayna, the country’s first and only Woman GM to date.

IM Michael Concio, Jr. zoomed to third with 7.5 points after shocking Olympiad veteran IM Paulo Bersamina in 55 moves of a Queen’s Gambit duel.

GM Daniel Quizon stormed back into contention after he smashed Phil Casiguran in 26 moves of a Sicilian showdown.

IM Christian Gian Karlo Arca, who was in the three-way tie with Messrs. Concio and Quizon at third before the round, may have kissed his Olympiad chances goodbye after succumbing to Ms. Frayna in 48 moves of an English Opening. — Joey Villar