Wednesday, April 18, 2007 Torre beats GM Akobian in round 5; Paragua, Antonio draw matches
FILIPINO grandmaster Eugene Torre played strong in the sixth round and lambasted US GM Varuzhan Akobian to remain in contention in the Philippine Chess Open.
GM Torre has 4.5 points to share second place with three other grandmasters.
Chinese GM Wang Yue showed his rival why he is ranked number one in the tourney when he trampled Iranian GM Ehsan Maghami Ghaem to score five points to stay in the lead. Joining Yue in the top spot compatriot Li Chao, who outplayed fellow Chinese GM, Wang Hao.
Joining Torre in second spot are Chinese GMs Ni Hua, Zhang Zhong and Zhao Jun. Hua and Zhong played to a draw in their match, while Jun waylaid FM Julio Sadorra.
GMs Joey Antonio Jr. and Mark Paragua got stalled in their bids as their Indonesian counterparts held both to draws. Antonio split his match with GM Susanto Megaranto, while Paragua drew with GM Utut Adianto.
Fourth placers
Antonio, Paragua, Megaranto and Adianto are huddled at third place with four points together with GM Ghaem, GM Hao, IM Barlo Nadera, IM Oliver Dimakiling, GM Shilong Li, Zhang Ziyang and Ernesto Fernandez.
In other results Cebuano IM Barlo Nadera stopped Efren Bagamasbad; IM Oliver Dimakiling halted Rhobel Legaspi; GM Li crushed Roderick Nava, Ziyang defeated IM Richard Bitoon; and Fernanded dumped NM Mirabeau Maga.
Eight are tied at fourth place with 3.5 points. They are GM Akobian, FM Sadorra, Hamed Nouri, Lalith Babu of India, Rolando Nolte, IM Wesley So, IM Fernie Donguines and WFM Irene Sukandar of Indonesia.
Nouri and Babu halved their game; Nolte beat Arlan Cabe; So humbled Julius de Ramos; Donguines defeated Ted Ian Montoyo; and Sukandar drubbed compatriot IM Halay Taufik. (JGC)
