Joey Antonio shows up young rivals

MANILA, Philippines — At 57 years old, Grandmaster Joey Antonio still has something left in the tank.

Showing he can still mix it up with the present generation of talented Filipino chessers, Antonio had the luxury of drawing his last two games in ruling the second Robert Tan Memorial Chess tournament at the Limket Kai Mall in Cagayan de Oro City.

Antonio actually ended up tied for first with GM Darwin Laylo with 9.5 points apiece but had the better tiebreak score, 83-76, to rule the 11-round event offering a total pot of P420,000.

Summoning his old lethal form that earned him a World Cup spot exactly a decade ago, Antonio won eight of his first nine games including those against young masters Joel Pimentel and Edsel Montoyo to seize the lead entering the final two rounds.

Knowing he had a superior tiebreak, the many-time national champion drew with Laylo, and Air Force man and local hero Lennon Hart Salgados to claim the crown.

Slowed down by a second-round standoff with NCFP board member Clibborn Orbe, Laylo settled for second place.

Jhonnel Balquin and Pimentel wound up third and fourth, respectively.