Filipino bets stay in the hunt at Subic Open chess tilt
05/30/2009 07:24 PM
MANILA, Philippines – Filipino Grandmasters Mark Paragua and Darwin Laylo joined International Master Richard Bitoon continues to lead the local bets campaign in the 2009 Subic Open International Chess Championship.
The three made substantial gains at the Subic Exhibition and Convention Center but remain one and half point behind solo leader GM Ehsan Maghami of Iran.
Paragua defeated another Filipino campaigner Jony Habla, Laylo drew with IM Kaiqi Yang of China while Bitoon split the point with Asian Continental individual champion GM Surya Shekhar Ganguly of India to join the group tied for 11th to 21st places.
Bitoon, who forced the draw behind the black pieces, and those in his group now have 4.5 points in the nine-round tournament that offers US$50,000 in cash prizes.
Bitoon and company are also one point behind current second placers GMs Chanda Sandipan of India and GM Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh.
The undefeated Maghami grabbed the lead by subduing GM Dao Thien Hai of Vietnam to earn his sixth point based on five wins and two draws.
Sandipan, on the other hand, defeated compatriot GM Abhijt Kunte while Rahman outdueled Xiu Deshun of China for their 5.5 points.
A group composed of seven players, which include third seed GM Parinarjan Negi of India and seventh seed GM Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia, are behind Bitoon’s group with their 5.0 points.
Defending champion GM Jayson Gonzales defeated Rhobel Legaspi and is now bunched up with another large group with 4.0 markers.
With Gonzales are other Filipino campaigners IMs Oliver Dimakiling and Julio Catalino Sadorra and NM Emmanuel Senador and four foreign standouts.
Dimakiling dumped Jia Haoxiang of China, Sadorra lost to Negi and Senador outplayed IM Rolando Nolte.
Other results showed Filipino GM Buenaventura “Bong” Villamayor defeating Li Pajnru of China; Tirot of Indonesdia downing Victor Lluch; Efren Bagamabad subduing IM Sadikin Irwanto of Indonesia; Yu Lie of China defeating IM Barlo Nadera; IM Ronald Bancod outmaneuvering Richelieu Salcedo; Reggie Olay subduing John Ranel Morazo; Nguyen Hoang Nam of Vietnam defeating Dandel Fernandez; and Alex Milagrosa winning over Karl Victor Ochoa. – Perry Legaspi, GMANews.TV
The Filipino will win it.