Paragua took the win after 28 moves of Queen’s Gambit Declined to finish with 6.5 points, the same output of former world junior women champion GM Koneru Humpy of India and IM Salor Sitanggang of Indonesia.

The three received ,000 each.

Paragua officially claimed fourth spot after emerging with the highest tiebreak points.

The nine-round tournament also produced the newest Filipino International Master in Darwin Laylo.

Laylo completed the IM requirements after halving the point with compatriot GM Nelson Mariano II in just 15 moves of an English Opening.

The former national champion finished with 5.0 points while beating the likes of GM Koneru Humpy of India and 2005 Penang Open champion IM Stefan Loeffler of Germany and splitting the point with GM Wu Shaobin.

The 25-year-old Laylo obtained his first IM norm in the 1999 Asian junior chess championships in Vietnam after placing second to Super GM Krishnan Sasikiran of India.

He got his second IM norm in the 2005 Asian Zonals in Kuala, Lumpur, Malaysia last August.

Second seed Super Grandmaster Ni Hua (ELO 2603) of China nipped Singapore-based Filipino FIDE Master Julio Catalino Sadorra in a marathon Slav Defense duel to finish with 7.5 points and win the title.

His 104-move victory was worth ,000.

Sadorra actually went two pawns up in the rook and pawn endgame, but failed to find the winning line.

A victory would have earned him a GM instead of just an IM norm.

Sharing second to third places were top seed Super GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili (ELO 2658) of Georgia and third seed GM Zhang Zhong (ELO 2598) of China with similar 7.0 points.

The two received US,500 each.

Meanwhile, FM Wesley So was named the best under-12 player.

In the Challengers section, Rustum Tolentino and Boy T of Indonesia shared top honors with 7.5 points. They took home 0 each.

Tied for third to fourth are Wilman Endey of Indonesia and Rodolfo Panopio Jr. with 7.0 points.

Another half point behind were Dr. Alfredo Paez, Yi-Sen Lee of Singapore and Ramon Manon-og Jr. —Noli CRUZ