Saturday, October 04, 2008 Fischer woodpushers near crown
TEAM Fischer toppled Team Capablanca, 3.5-1.5, in the ninth and penultimate round Thursday night to build a commanding three-point advantage over its closest pursuer in the 1st Rep. Isidro T. Ungab Cup Toril Inter-Team Chess Championships.
With Engineer Jun Atmosfera leading the way, Team Fischer now has 27 points to inch closer to the crown. Atmosfera was held to a draw by Chris Yap in 52 moves of a Reti Opening when he missed a winning move in the endgame which would have netted him a pawn.
Jobert Lumanta and endgame expert Boy Ramirez all won their matches for Team Fischer, while board 5 Bador Borras, one piece up against Eugene Pangdan, was stricken with chess blindness when he gave away his queen without compensation.
Team Alekhine is in second place with 24 points.
Erstwhile second placer Team Topalov dropped its match against Team Kasparov 1.5-3.5, relegating the squad to fourth place with 22.5 points. Team Kasparov is in third spot with 23 points.
Lawyer Jong Guevarra beat Glen Paclar, but his lower board players did not deliver with only board 2 Alex Jover salvaging a draw against Shell kiddie champion, 11-year-old chess prodigy A.J. Literatus.
Alekhine jumped back to second place with a smashing victory over the young Team Kramnik. John Ray Batucan lost again to his former trainer and mentor Henry Fajardo.
Shell Active Youth junior vhampion Neptali Batucan, with a draw on hand, pushed his luck too far and lost instead to Bong Pineda. Boards three to five all ended in draws.
Team Kramnik has now 20 points, while Capablanca is at the cellar with 18.5 points.
The 10th and final round will be played tonight at lawyer Guevarra's new office building at R. de Guzman St. in Toril. The awarding of prizes will be held on Sunday, October 5, at the Toril gym.
