MANILA, Philippines — FIDE Master Alekhine Nouri downed Malaysia’s Eng Jia Qian in the eighth and final round and then edged another Malaysian bet Ronnie Lim Chuin Hoong in tiebreaks to rule the USM 24th Chess Individual Open tournament in Penang, Malaysia Wednesday.
Nouri and Hoong each finished with seven points but the 12-year-old Grade Five Far Eastern University-Diliman student bested the latter via tiebreaks, 46-40, to bag the champion’s trophy.
Hoong wound up at second place.
The Negros Occidental native finished, the youngest Filipino FM at seven years, won over Leong Zheng Haw, Divyadarrshini Loganathan, Tan Jia Yun, Chua Kian Meng, Goh Kian Meng, Goh Jie Yi and countryman Nelson Villanueva in the first six rounds while drawing with Hoong in the penultimate round.
IM Emmanuel Senador overpowered Malaysia’s Tin Shan Wen and then edged Tan Khai Boon, Eshwant Singh and Tan Jia Yun on tiebreaks to finish third with seven points.