NATIONAL Master Elwin Retanal of Malita, Davao del Sur tallied 7.5 points to power Team Philippines B to a bronze medal finish in the 2008 Malaysia Astro Merdeka Rapid Chess Team Championships at the Bintang Ballroom, Midvalley Hotel, Malaysia.
The Philippines-A team led by Grand Master (GM) Darwin Laylo and International Master (IM) Julio Catalino Sadorra amassed 29.5 points to pocket the gold medal, while Berhad Team followed in second and Philippines-B, which garnered 24 points, placed third.Retanal's teammates were NM Rhobel Legaspi and Fide Master Kim Yap.
In the Malaysian Ambank Chess Challenge, meanwhile, Filipino NM Leonardo Carlos led the individual open event with nine points after Round 10 while Retanal gained eight points in the 11-round Swiss System format chessfest.
Malaysian woodpusher Kamaluddin Yusof occupied the third spot with 7.5 points.
Retanal was also Board 4 top scorer in the 28th Astro-OGB Merdeka Rapid Open Chess Team Championship where the RP team placed third. The Malita native scored six wins and three draws.
Retanal's stint in Malaysia was funded by Malita Mayor Benjamin P. Bautista, Representative Franklin Bautista, former congressman Claude P. Bautista, and Malita Chess Association president Jorge Alcoy. (MLSA)
