Fiery start by RP chessers
by Ed Andaya
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 19:23
KHANTY-Mansiysk, Russia — The Philippines completed a rare double celebration in the 39th World Chess Olympiad, pulling off similar easy 4-0 victories over South Korea in the men’s division and Netherlands Antilles in the women’s category in the first round Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time).
GMs Wesley So, John Paul Gomez and Darwin Laylo and IM Richard Bitoon swept their lowly-rated Korean rivals in one of 44 shutout victories on opening day and put the 37th-seeded Filipinos in the early lead in this prestigious, two-week long competition considered as the ‘Olympics’ of chess.
So, manning the top board for the country in only his third appearance in the Olympiad since 2006 Turin, made short work of Sanghoon Lee (ELO 2146) to set the tone for the Filipinos’ dominant showing.
Gomez, who achieved his GM title during the 38th Olympiad in Dresden, Germany two years ago, trounced Kyul Lee (ELO 1971) on board two.
Laylo, who saw action during the World Chess Cup held in this oil-producing region in Western Siberia last year, whipped Munkhbat Chogdov (ELO 2236) on board three, while Bitoon, a last-minute replacement to GM Rogelio Antonio Jr., crushed Hoon Young Jun on board four.
Here is the full article.
Wesley rocks!