FILIPINO Grandmasters Eugene Torre, Rogelio Antonio Jr. and Mark Paragua scored fifth-round wins to gain a share of second place with 3.5 points in the Philippine International Chess Open at the Legenda Hotel in Subic.
GM Torre, playing white, scored a big win when he trampled on the game of Indonesian GM Susanto Megaranto. Antonio outwitted compatriot NM Arlan Cabe, while Paragua outplayed NM Mirabeau Maga. The three are still within striking distance of the leaders, who have four points.
Also in second place aside from GM Megaranto are GM Varuzhan Akobian, Indonesian GM Utut Adianto, FM Julio Sadorra, and GM Zhao Jun. Akobian and Sadorra drew their game. Adianto beat Rolando Nolte, while Jun halted IM Halay Taufik of Indonesia.
Chinese GM Ni Hua used his superior chess skills to topple Filipino standout Hamed Nouri, while Chinese Li Chao lambasted compatriot GM Shilong Li to join four other grandmasters in the lead.
Draws
GMs Wang Yue, Zhang Zhong, Wang Hao, and Ehsan Maghami Ghaem draw their matches to share the lead with four points apiece. Yue and Zhong split their points, while Hao drew with Ghaem.
Cebuano IMs Barlo Nadera and Richard Bitoon were also victorious to remain in the hunt for the gold. Nadera lambasted Nelson Villanueva, while Bitoon made mincemeat of Chinese Xiu Deshun to share third place with three wins.
Also bunched in at third are Nouri, IM Oliver Dimakiling, GM Li, NM Maga, Roderick Nava, Zhang Ziyang, Efren Bagamasbad, Rhobel Legaspi, Ernesto Fernandez and Lalith Babu of Indonesia.
The Philippine International Chess Open is a nine-round, Swiss system format with a time control of 90 minutes and 30-second increments and offers $36,000 cash prize. The chess tilt is organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and is sanctioned by Fide. (JGC)
