Indian IM thwarts Garcia, grabs Asian Jrs lead

TAGAYTAY CITY—Indian International Master Srinath Sarayanan subdued Filipino IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia in a battle between the top two seeds yesterday to grab the solo lead in the 2014 Asian Juniors and Girls Chess Championships at Tagaytay International Convention Center.

Handling white, Sarayanan, ranked No. 1 with an Elo rating of 2461, outmaneuvered Garcia (Elo 2396) in the endgame to boost his total to 3.5 points after four rounds and bolster his title-retention bid in the Open division for players 20 years and younger.

Garcia resigned after 48 moves of a Ruy Lopez. He bested Nepal’s Bibke Thing in the third round.

Trailing Sarayanan at 3.0 points was third seed Fide Master Paulo Bersamina, who drew with Bangladesh’s Haque Siam Ikramul after 62 moves of a Guioco Piano.

Bersamina, 16, forged a third-round draw with Narayanan.

Joining Garcia at 2.5 points were Ikramul, Mongolian FM Sumiya Bilguun and Filipinos Jdaryl Unix Samantila, John Merill Jacutina and Istraelito Rilloraza.

Bilguun trounced Nepal’s Thing Bibek, Samantila downed Radcliffe Paras of Guam, and Rilloraza, 13, drew with Jacutina.

WFM Sholpan Zhylkaidarova of Kazakhstan paced the Girls’ division with 3.5 points following a win over PV Nandhidhaa of India.

The Indians, however, continued to flaunt their strength as top seed WIM Furtado Ivana Maria, Joshi Supriya, J Saranya and Rucha Pujar, who drew their game, were at 3.0 points.

Ivana Maria (Elo 2219) beat Filipino WFM Shania Mae Mendoza while Supriya thwarted Filipino Gladys Hazelle Romero.