Cu second in Hanoi IM tourney

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino teenage sensation Ivan Travis Cu is fast turning into a player that could become a Grandmaster someday.

Cu’s evolution was evident in his solid, second-place finish in last weekend’s Hanoi IM (International Master) chess tournament in Vietnam where he’s seeking the FIDE Master title.

The 10th-grader from Xavier finished with six points, half a point behind eventual winner IM Farid Firman Syah of Indonesia.

Cu could have won the tournament had he won over Indian FM Chouhan Vrashank in the ninth and final round.

He lost instead and slipped to second.

But he accomplished what he intended to do as Cu, who holds a current rating of 2266 earned 44.4 FIDE rating points that should be enough to breach the required 2300-rating plateau to become an FM.

Among Cu’s victims was the champion himself plus IMs Angelo Young of the Philippines and Dao Minh Nhat of Vietnam and FM Masruri Rahman of Indonesia. He split the point with countrymen, IM Ricardo de Guzman and fellow teener FM Christian Gian Karlo Arca.