INQUIRER Sports

Standings after five rounds (RP unless stated):

4.0 points—M. Mchedlishvili (Georgia), D. Laylo, R. Antonio, E. Ghaemmaghami (Iran), N.T. Nguyen (Vietnam), E. Torre, M. Gagunashvili (Georgia); 3.5—T.H. Dao (Vietnam), A. Filippov (Uzbekistan), N. Das (India), M Paragua, Z. Zhang (Singapore), J. Gomez; 3.0—T. Kotanjian (Armenia), R. Dableo, A. ,Gupta (India), Tirto (Indonesia), E. Senador, S. Li (China), M. Maga, R. Bitoon, O. Dimakiling, P. Kostenko (Kazakhstan), J. Gonzales, C. Garma, A. Ismagambetov (Kazakhstan), L. Carlos.

RESURGENT EUGENE TORRE toppled fellow Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta of India in the fifth round Monday to forge a seven-way tie for the lead in the fifth Prospero Pichay Cup international chess championship at the LWUA Building on Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City.

The 57-year-old Torre, Asia’s first GM, notched his third straight win and shared the crowded top with World Cup-bound countrymen GMs Rogelio “Joey” Antonio and Darwin Laylo, GM Mikhail Mchedlishvili of Georgia, GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son of Vietnam, GM Ehsan Ghaemmaghami of Iran and GM Merab Gagunashvili of Georgia.

Bidding to make up for a lackluster stint in the recent PGMA Cup where he withdrew and relinquished his title in the seventh round, Torre jumped to 4.0 points in the $30,000 event organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines in cooperation with the Local Water Utilities Administration.

Mchedlishvili, the highest-rated player in the field with an Elo of 2613, split the point with Ghaemmaghami in their top board tussle.

Nguyen downed No. 17 Pyotr Kostenko of Kazakhstan in another all-foreigner showdown.

Gagunashvili subdued IM Richard Bitoon, Antonio trounced No. 9 GM Tigran Kotanjian of Armenia and Laylo drew with Uzbek GM and PGMA Cup champion Anton Filippov.

Also gaining ground with victories over their respective rivals were Filipino GMs John Paul Gomez and Mark Paragua.

Gomez bested Alex Milagrosa, while Paragua subdued Alcon John Datu.

The former Olympians shared eighth to 13th places with Filippov, second seed GM Zhang Zhong of Singapore, GM Dao Thien Hai of Vietnam and GM Das Neelotpal of India. with 3.5 points.

Fourteen players, led by Kotanjian and Kazakh GM Anuar Ismagambetov and GMs Jayson Gonzales and Ronald Dableo, share 14th place with 3 points.

Ismagambetov humbled Rolando Andador, Gonzales split the point with Emmanuel Senador and Dableo overwhelmed Randy Segarra.

Also moving up with 3 points were IM Oliver Dimakiling, who downed Ali Branzuela, Mirabeau Maga, who beat Deniel Causo, IM Chito Garma, who repulsed Cristy Bernales, and FM Loenardo Carlos, who stopped Nelson Mariano III.