FCPL Chess News

National Master Robert Arellano captured the coveted title in the FCPL-ConGen Cup Battle of Champions last December 18 after scoring 8 points in the six-player double round robin event at Reef Mall.

The Battle of Champions served as the centrepiece event of the Consul General's Cup as it featured the champions of the different monthly tournaments organised by FCPL in 2009 as well as invited top players. Arellano tallied seven wins against two draws and a single loss to eventual first runner-up Jobannie C. Tabada, who had seven points.



Rolenson Loyola also had seven points but had an inferior tiebreak to settle for third place. Iran's Samer Mehdi took the fourth spot with 5 points, followed by Jumar Abo (2) and India's Santhosh P (1), who qualified to the Battle of Champions after ruling the ConGen Cup Open Active Chess Tournament, which concluded last December 17 also at Reef Mall.

(Update) Four Three other top players - Fide Master Tony Molina Sr., Marvin Marcos, Danny Baltazar and Rocky Pabalan - however failed to compete in the event because of other commitments. Pabalan, a many-time champion of the FCPL monthly competitions, missed both the ConGen Cup Active Chess Tournament and the Battle of Champions as he had to go home to his hometown in Negros Occidental earlier to attend to the funeral of his sister, who died in a motorcycle accident just a few days before the start of the active chess tournament. Our condolences to his bereaved family.

Meanwhile, in the ConGen Cup active chess event, Santhosh took the top spot with 8 points, while Jumar Abo was second with 7 points. Samer Mehdi also had seven points but settled for third with a lower tiebreak score.




(Update) The category champions were Richard Perez (Top Under-1900), Joey Tiberio (Top Under-1800), Ronnie Balilo (Top Under-1700) and Sudharsan Surya and Kyle Cedric Dolor (Top Kiddies).

In the ConGen Cup Open Blitz Tournament, Larry Dolor reigned supreme with 5.5 points in seven games. Macky Ingcongan and Joey Tiberio tallied the same output but came out second and third respectively after the tiebreaks were applied.



Philippine Consul General in Dubai and Northern Emirates Hon. Benito B. Valeriano handed out the awards to the winners later in the day. Hon. Valeriano also inducted into office the new set of officers of the FCPL.




The awarding ceremonies were followed by the FCPL Christmas party.

More photos and videos to follow.

Labels: awarding, ConGen Cup tournament

Fide Master Antonio Molina Sr. grabbed the solo lead after defeating fifth-round solo leader Jumar Abo in a bruising sixth-round encounter in the ConGen Cup Open Active Chess Tournament. The tournament leader has 5.5 points, half a point ahead of four others.

Molina, playing white, weathered a menacing kingside attack by Abo, who failed to find the best continuation after a daring bishop sacrifice in the middlegame, allowing Molina to neutralize his offensive and pick up the full point.

The erstwhile leader dropped to second place with five points in a tie with National Master Robert Arellano, Santhosh P of India, and junior player Natun Dasgupta also of India.

The final three rounds will be played Thursday starting at 8 pm.

The ConGen Cup Open Blitz Tournament will be held Friday starting at 3 pm. Registration is now open (call 050-4674887 to register). Registration fee is Dh 20 and Dh 10 for FCPL members.

Awarding ceremonies of both events will be held on Friday after the blitz competition.

The blitz tournament and awarding ceremonies on Friday will be held at the ex-Book Plus area of Reef Mall, located in the left wing of the main lobby (between Dome Cafe and the internet cafe).

Round 7 Pairings


























Standings after Round 6

Labels: ConGen Cup tournament

(Please note that the raffle draw will be held on Friday, December 18, during the awarding ceremony of the ConGen Cup. The list of raffle winners will be posted in this blog) 

Please see below the third-round standings, round 4 pairings and complete list of participants of the Consul General's Cup Open Active Chess Tournament.

Round 4 will start at 8 pm Wednesday to be followed by the fifth and sixth rounds.

The seventh, eighth and ninth rounds will be played on Thursday starting at 8 pm.

Registration is now open for the Consul General's Cup Open Blitz Chess Tournament, which will be held on Friday starting at 3 pm.

Awarding  ceremonies will be held on Friday after the blitz competition.


Round 4 Pairings

Standings After Round 3

Labels: ConGen Cup tournament

The 2nd Consul General's Cup Active Chess Tournament will kick off Tuesday at 8 pm. A short opening ceremony will start at 7:30 pm.

The tournament will be for 9 rounds with three games to be played each night on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Time control is 15 minutes plus 5-second increment per move.

There will also be a a pair of blitz tournaments on Friday. One is a battle of champions featuring all players who placed first or second in all the tournaments organised by FCPL this year plus a few invited players. The other is the ConGen Cup Open Blitz Tournament, which is open to all.

Those who will play in the battle of champions are not eligible to play in the ConGen Cup Blitz Tournament. Full details of the blitz events will be announced and posted here on Wednesday.


The awarding ceremonies of all events will be held on Friday, after the blitz competitions.

Consul General Hon. Benito Valeriano will be present on Friday to award the prizes and induct the officers of FCPL.

Please see below full details, including prizes of the tournament and the round-one pairings.

Date	Day	Time	Venue	Event
December 15	Tuesday	7:30 pm	Main entrance lobby, Reef Mall	Opening Ceremony
December 15	Tuesday	8 pm to 11 pm	Main entrance lobby, Reef Mall	Round 1 to 3
December 16	Wednesday	8 pm to 11 pm	Main entrance lobby, Reef Mall	Round 4 to 6
December 17	Thursday	8 pm to 11 pm	Main entrance lobby, Reef Mall	Round 7 to 9
December 18	Friday	2 pm to 5 pm	Former Book Plus area, Reef Mall	Blitz King Chess Championship / ConGen Cup Blitz Tournament
December 18	Friday	5 pm to 11 pm	Former Book Plus area, Reef Mall	Awarding ceremony / Induction of FCPL officers by Consul General Hon. Benito Valeriano / Year-end party

Labels: ConGen Cup tournament