Gomez trips top seed; Pantsulaia keeps lead

Filipino Grandmaster John Paul Gomez toppled top seed Russian GM Ivan Popov yesterday to share the limelight with pacesetter Georgian GM Lvan Pantsulaia in the fifth round of the Philippine International Chess Challenge at Celebrity Sports Plaza in Quezon City.

Applying relentless pressure with white, Gomez forced Popov (Elo 2622) to resign after 33 moves of a Slav Defense as he spearheaded the local challenge in the Open division of the $30,000 tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

Also handling white, Pantsulaia thwarted Filipino GM Darwin Laylo in 63 moves of a Reti Opening to keep the solo lead in the 38-player field with 4.5 points.

Gomez at 4 points

Gomez, the country’s board 2 player in this year’s Tromso Olympiad, climbed to 4.0 points and shared second spot with Russian GMs Anton Demchenko and Mikhail Mozharov and Georgian GM Merab Gagunashvili.

The second-seeded Demchenko (Elo 2611) tamed Indian International Master Narayanan Sunilduth Lyna, Mozharov trounced Fide Master Sander Severino, while Gagunashvili bested FM Randy Segarra in the nine-round event sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission and Puregold.

Pantsulaia was handling black against Gagunashvili in the top board tussle of last night’s still-unfinished sixth-round schedule.

Laylo drew his match with veteran GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. to rise to 3.5 points in the company of Armenian GM Avetik Grigoryan, who hurdled Merben Roque.

Antonio, a 12-time national champion, was lodged at 3.0 points with Popov, Barbosa, Segarra, Severino, Antonio, Sunilduth Lyna, GM Julio Catalino Sadorra, GM Richard Bitoon and IM Kim Steven Yap.

Sadorra bounces back

The United States-based Sadorra trounced David Elorta to rebound from his fourth-round loss to Sunilduth Lyna while the Cebu-based Yap tripped FM Joseph Mari Torqueza.

Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre and IM Haridas Pascua drew their match and led the 2.5 pointers.

The GMs are playing true to form, with nine of them occupying the top slots in the tournament supported by Asia United Bank Burlington, Celebrity Sports Plaza, Microtel and Harold’s Hotel.

The four female players hog the cellar with reigning Asian Girls titlist WIM Mikee Charlene Suede, who beat FM Jony Habla, and Olympian WIM Janelle May Frayna, who downed WFM Marie Antoinette San Diego, toting 2.0 points each. WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda was at 1.0 point while San Diego remained scoreless.