GM John Paul Gomez (above right) won the Philippine National Open Chess Championship Grand Finals held 23 October to 1 November 2024 in Alicia, Isabela, Philippines. The event was organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines. Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and to download games.
The 38-year-old Olympiad veteran achieved that at the close of the Philippine National Open Chess Championship Tuesday in Alicia, Isabela, sealing his victory with a draw with International Master Joel Banawa.
Gomez split the point with Banawa, a local bet, in 21 moves of a Caro-Kann encounter to finish with 8.5 points for the crown and a ticket to the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand next year. Gomez last won the event 11 years ago.
Paulo Bersamina (above left), who flattened Alexis Emil Maribao in 42 moves of a Sicilian, and Daniel Quizon (above right), who edged IM Jem Garcia in a marathon 74-move win of a King’s Indian, ended up tied for No. 2 with eight points each.
