FILIPINO FIDE Master (FM) Roel Abelgas showed he still has the touch despite spending most of his energy teaching and coaching after finishing a strong second in the Asian Amateur Open Rapid Chess Championships in Hong Kong over the weekend.
Mr. Abelgas, 44, downed Indian Tuli Utkrisht in the ninth and final round and then edged countryman FM Alekhine Nouri with a higher tiebreak after the two ended up with eight points apiece to seize No. 2.
Mongolian FM Khishigbat Ulziikhishig took the title after finishing with 8.5 points.
Mr. Nouri, the reigning national juniors champion and the winner of the blitz section of this same tournament the day before, settled for third.
It was Mr. Abelgas’ best finish in recent years that came like rain in the desert as he had focused on being the coach of the Dasmariñas team that produced a Grandmaster in Daniel Quizon, the University of Perpetual Help and an assistant of the national para chess team.
But on this one weekend, Mr. Abelgas proved that he still has it. — Joey Villar
