INQUIRER Sports

Standings after Round 2: (RP unless stated)

2 points?M. Mchedlishvili (Georgia), A. Filippov (Uzbekistan), J. Gomez, D. Laylo, M. Paragua, R. Bitoon, D. Causo, TH Dao (Vietnam), S. Li (China); 1.5?R. Antonio, B. Villamayor, R. Dableo, R. Nolte, O. Dimakiling, E. Ghaemmaghami (Iran), M. Gagunashvili (Georgia), T. Kotanjian (Armenia), A. Gupta (India), Tirto (Indonesia) , NT Nguyen (Vietnam).

MANILA, Philippines ? Unheralded Deniel Causo stunned GM Anuar Ismagambetov of Kazakhstan to join the lead pack after two rounds of the fifth Prospero Pichay Cup international Chess championship at the LWUA Building in Diliman, Quezon City.

Causo also won over Arnel Pinero in the first round late Friday.

Top seed GM Mikhail Mchedlishvili of Georgia subdued IM Chito Garma in the first round and GM Neelotpal Das of India in the second round while newly crowned PGMA Cup champion GM Anton Filippov of Uzbekistan humbled Rhobel Legaspi and GM Jayson Gonzales to lead the foreign challenge in the nine-round tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

GM Dao Thien Hai of Vietnam and Li Shilong of China also swept their first two matches to gain a share of the lead in this tournament supported by the Local Water Utilities Administration, Tourism department, PCSO, Pagcor and Crown Regency Hotel.

Dao beat Allan Macala and IM Emmanuel Senador while Li, the lone Chinese participant, repulsed Elias Lao and Fide Master Leonardo Carlos.

The other Filipinors with perfect two points are GMs John Paul Gomez, Darwin Laylo and Mark Paragua and IM Richard Bitoon.

Gomez, who earned his GM title during the 38th World Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany, last year, overwhelmed Ric Portogalera and Alcon John Datu.

Laylo trounced Christopher Castellano and Fernie Donguines, Paragua dumped Merben Roque and David Elorta and Bitoon nipped John Ranel Morazo and Ben Polao.