So, Azmai, Dao, and Le lead Dragon tournament

GM So still on top of Vietnam chess

By Marlon Bernardino
Cebu Daily News
First Posted 10:28:00 08/31/2008

STANDINGS: 4.0 points — GM Wesley So (RP), GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili (Georgia), GM Dao Thien Hai (Vietnam), GM Le Quang Liem (Vietnam)

3.5 — IM Richard Bitoon (RP), GM Tu Hoang Thong (Vietnam), GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son (Vietnam), GM Nguyen Anh Dung (Vietnam), FM Pham Chuong (Vietnam), Tu Hoang Thai (Vietnam), Vo Thanh Ninh (Vietnam)

3.0—IM Rolando Nolte (RP), GM Konstantine Shanava (Georgia), GM Marat Dzumaev (Uzbekistan), FM Nguyen Doc Hua (Vietnam), Nguyen Van Huy (Vietnam), Nguyen Hoang Nam (Vietnam)

2.5—IM Julio Catalino Sadorra (RP)

FRESH from beating 17th seed IM Goh Weiming (2403) of Singapore in the fourth round, 4th seed GM Wesley So (2577) settled for a draw with top seed GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili (2615) of Georgia in yesterday’s fifth round to remain on top along three others in the Dragon Capital Vietnam Open Chess Championship at the P&T Hotel in Vung Tau, Vietnam.

The 14-year-old So, who won board 1 gold medal in the recently World Youth Under-16 Chess Olympiad in Mersin, Turkey had 4.0 points on three win and two draw, the same out put of Azmaiparashvili, 3rd seed GM Le Quang Liem (2577) and 11th seed GM Dao Thien Hai (2489) of Vietnam, his sixth round opponent.

Sharing the limelight with So, who is currently the world’s youngest chess GM, is 15th seed IM Richard Bitoon (2439) of Cebu who upset 6th seed GM Konstantine Shanava (2552) of Georgia in the fourth round then split the point with 18th seed IM Tu Hoang Thai (2395) of Vietnam in the fifth to raise his total 3.5 points.

Bitoon now shares 5th to 11th places with his next round opponent 10th seed GM Tu Hoang Thong (2493) of Vietnam.

Meanwhile, 7th seed IM Rolando Nolte (2522) scored back-to-back draws against GM Tu and 19th seed Nguyen Van Huy (2386) of Vietnam to raise his total to 3.0 points, good for 12th to 17th spots along with his sixth round opponent 24th seed Nguyen Hoang Nam (2310) of Vietnam.

Source: http://globalnation.inquirer.net