So helps boost PH medal chances

So, Gomez strike as PH boosts medal chances in Asian Games
by Ed Andaya
Wednesday, 24 November 2010 20:36

Standings after seven rounds:

14 — China
12 – Philippines
9 – India
8 – Iran, Qatar, Vietnam, Uzbekistan
7 – Kyrgyzstan, Iraq
6 — Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Yemen
4 – Korea
3 — Maldives, Jordan
1 — Lebanon

GUANGZHOU, China – The Philippines struck anew Wednesday, beating Kyrgyzstan, 2.5-1.5, on victories by GMs Wesley So and John Paul Gomez and draw by GM Eugene Torre to bolster their chances for the elusive medal in the 16tth Asian Games chess competitions at the Guangzhou Chess Institute.

Buoyed by their decisive 2.5-1.5 upset win over India in the fifth round Monday and 3.5-.5 triumph over Uzbekistan the previous day, the Filipinos moved another step closer to a medal with their fifth straight t triumph in the nine-round, Swiss-system tournament.

The win enabled the sixth-seeded Filipinos to keep second place behind top seed China, which struggled before beating Kazakhstan, 2.5-1.5, for a perfect score of seven wins and 14 points.

So, easily one of the most popular players here, outplayed upset-conscious Algis Shukuraliev in only 27 moves of the Ruy Lopez Morphy variation.

The 17-year-old Filipino champion, who played white, left nothing to chance and launched a relentless attack on Shukuraliev’s kingside with his queen, two rooks and two bishops.

So is poised to capture black’s remaining bishop on e7 when the time-pressured Shukuraliev decided to resign.

Full story here.