Bacojo earns second IM norm in Italy

Filipino FIDE Master Mark Jay Daños Bacojo defeated Armenian International Master Emin Ohanyan in Round 8 of the World Youth Chess Championships at the Pala Dean Martin Centro Congressi in Montesilvano, Italy on Tuesday. Playing the black pieces, the Grade 12 student from the Dasmariñas Integrated High School prevailed after 43 moves of Caro-Kann Defense. For winning his eight-round match, Bacojo also improved his ELO rating to 2387 after earning the second of three norms required to become an International Master. IM requires a minimum rating of 2400 and three norms. Bacojo now has 6.5 points (six wins, one loss, and one draw) to gain a share for second place with IM Aldiyar Ansat (Kazakhstan) and FM Tymon Czernek (Poland) in the FIDE Standard Tournament, organized by UNI Chess headed by Italian Grandmaster Roberto Mogranzini. He is up against IM Aleksey Grebnev (Russia) in Round 9 on Wednesday. Grebnev beat IM Ilamparthi AR (India) in 39 moves of the Benko Gambit Defense to stay on top with 7.5 points. Bacojo secured the first norm during the 18th IGB Dato' Arthur Tan Malaysian Open Chess Championship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in September. He is a member of the Dasmariñas Chess Academy of Mayor Jenny Barzaga, Rep. Elpidio "Pidi" Barzaga Jr., and national coach FIDE Master Roel Abelgas. Source: Philippines News Agency