The Farsons Chess Preliminaries, the first phase of the national championship, drew to a close last week with six players qualifying to the next stage - the Candidates. Promising 14-year-old Robert Zerafa, of Marsaxlokk, won the competition with flying colours. He conceded only one draw in seven games.

Oliver Said, last year's Preliminaries winner, was second with Patrick Zerafa, Robert's brother, in third place. Both players managed five points with Said's Bucholtz slightly superior (31) to that of Patrick Zerafa (30). The other three players who qualified were Matthew Saliba, Ivan Attard and Ray Azzopardi.

Final standings: 1. R. Zerafa 6.5; 2-3. Said, P. Zerafa 5; 4-5. Saliba, Ivan Attard 4.5; 6-7. Azzopardi, Lau 4; 8-12. Francalanza, Muscat Baron, Refalo, Webster, Ebejer 3.5; 13. I. Attard 3; 14-15. K. Attard, Cuschieri 2.5; 16-17. Grima, Saliba 2; 18. Dingli.

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