AMERICAN GRANDMASTER JULIO BECERRA brought the curtain down on the 2008 Digicel RBTT Heroes Day Cup with a commanding performance, "washing off" Barbados National Champion FIDE master Delisle Warner and Swedish FIDE master Bengt Hammar, to finish unbeaten on 8 1/2 points and take the 2008 Digicel Masters Cup at the Barbados Chess Centre, Cavans Lane, The City.

Becerra, who is originally from Cuba, was clearly in a class of his own and his display over the last week will certainly provide much material for local coaches to use with their charges.

Second in the Digicel Masters was English grandmaster Keith Arkell who ended on 7 1/2 points. Arkell, from whose table most of the tournament's hardest and longest fought matches originated, ended his Heroes Day Cup with wins against two of Barbados' finest, FIDE master Dr Philip Corbin and national champion Delisle Warner.

Cruise control

FIDE master Augusto Moran of Ecuador, the 2006 Heroes Day Cup winner, finished in third position with 5 1/2 points. With Becerra and Arkell having locked down the top two spots, Moran switched to cruise control and drew his final matches against Trinidad and Tobago's national champion Ryan Harper and FIDE master Terry Farley of Barbados.

Colombian FIDE master Mauricio Uribe, needing a win and a draw in his last two matches against Hammar and international master Kevin Denny of Barbados, saw his hopes of creating history by becoming the first player to gain the international master chess title on Barbadian soil, vanished as he lost his penultimate round match against Hammar.

Lost battle

Uribe, clearly feeling the pressure to force a win from what would normally be equal opposition, lost the battle to nerves and a determined Hammar. This, however, did not mean that his match against Denny would be analso-ran affair. The two closed the night in a fine display of fighting chess which ended in a draw giving the Colombian fourth place with five points.

Harper, no longer in the norm hunt and eager to secure bragging rights and rating points, finished with a draw against Moran and a win over Corbin.

Warner, who after an excellent start, posted what could likely be his worst finish in a chess tournament, when he lost his last four matches to end on 3 1/2 points and sixth position.

Warner, who is scheduled to go to Cuba shortly to play two tournaments, the Montana Open and Gildado Garcia Memorial Open, will still have the consolation that, disappointing as it was, his performance was still the best of the Bajans on show.

Farley, Hammar and Denny jointly ended on three points for seventh, eighth and ninth positions, respectively, while Corbin was tenth with 1 1/2 points. (AH)