FILIPINO International Master (IM) Paulo Bersamina secured a strong runner-up finish at the 22nd Bangkok Chess Club Open, held at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Riverside Hotel in Thailand on April 21.

Bersamina edged out Ukrainian Grandmaster Vitaliy Bernadskiy in 67 moves using the Sicilian Defense, finishing with 7.5 points—just behind North Macedonia’s GM Evgeny Romanov, who topped the tournament with 8.0 points after defeating Malaysian FM Ern Jie Anderson Ang in 38 moves of the Catalan Opening.

“I’m very happy with my runner-up finish,” said Bersamina, who also topped the Makruk (Thai chess) category.

Meanwhile, fellow Filipino IM Michael Concio Jr. drew with Indian GM Babu MR Lalit in 43 moves to tie for third place with 6.5 points, alongside Lalit, Ang, Indian GM Surya Shekhar Ganguly, and British GM Nigel Short.

Filipino FM Christian Gian Karlo Arca fell short against Short but celebrated earning his third and final IM norm. Arca, 16, needs to raise his ELO rating from 2250 to 2400 to clinch the IM title. He earned his first IM norm in Malaysia in 2023 and his second in Vietnam in 2024.