Friday, May 09, 2008 Arousy, Tabada share lead in Dubai
DUBAI—-Four players led by top-seed International Master Abdul Hameed El Arousy of Egypt and second-seed Jobannie Tabada of the Philippines remain atop the standings after three rounds in the Pagibig Open Chess Tournament at the Reef Mall here.
The Egyptian posted his third straight point after a thrilling victory over ninth-seed Rafael Natividad, taking advantage of a tactical blunder by the Filipino in a complicated middlegame to score the win.
Tabada took an easier route to victory after top junior player Axel John Valerio suffered a mental lapse in the opening, giving away his queen for a knight that abruptly ended their Sicilian Defense encounter.
Also with three points is unheralded Indian Santhosh, who scored a miracle win over Marz Marcial after the seventh-seeded Filipino gave away his queen in what was otherwise a completely winning endgame position.
“Pagibig is pleased to have gathered a good mix of nationalities in this tournament. Chess has considerably picked up particularly among Filipino expatriates in the UAE after last month’s historic feat by Wesley So,” said tournament director Jerry Lababo, who is also the Pagibig Fund Representative to Dubai, referring to the 14-year-old Filipino whiz kid, currently the youngest grandmaster in the world, who ruled last April’s 10th Dubai Chess Open.
Securing the fifth to seventh spots going into today’s fourth-round games are Eric Olandac, Jumar Abo and Ernesto Yap with 2.5 points each; while Marcial, Axel and Alexius Valerio, and Natividad are bunched with a host of other players at joint third with two points each. (PR)
