Thursday, September 04, 2008 Cebuano wins back-to-back chess titles in California
CEBUANO Enrico “Ikong” Sevillano defeated Japanese-American Christian Tanaka in the sixth and final round to emerge as the overall champion in the just concluded 30th Annual Southern California Open at the Pasadena Hilton in Pasedena over the weekend.
Sevillano, a prodigy of sportsman and National Master Matias “Bombi” Aznar finished with 5.0 points, on four wins and two draw in the final round to capture the title via superior tie break over GM Melikset Khachiyan, IM Andranik Matikozyan and US master Tatev Abrahamyan.
The three also finished with 5.0 points in this 82-player field.
Sevillano, a former RP Olympian Chess member, is fresh from winning the 2008 Southern California Chess Federation State Championship last Aug. 24 in Los Angeles, California.
He beat fellow International Master American Cyrus Lakdawala in the seventh and final round to successfully defend the SCCF State Championship title with a total 5.0 points. He bested Alexandre Kretchetov in the tie-break match to pocket his back-to-back State Championship title. (PR)
