Gomez, Demchenko breathe down Popov’s neck

TOP SEED Russian Grandmaster Ivan Popov stayed on top even as compatriot GM Anton Demchenko and Filipino GM John Paul Gomez continued to breathe down his neck in the PSC-Puregold International Chess Challenge at Celebrity Sports Plaza in Quezon City.

Living up to his Elo rating of 2622, Popov drew with Armenian GM Avetik Grigoryan in the seventh round late Thursday and then beat International Master Haridas Pascua in the eighth yesterday to climb to 6.5 points, keeping his distance over Gomez and Demchenko.

Showing his prowess with the black pieces, Popov forced Pascua, conqueror of GM Oliver Barbosa on Thursday, to resign after 35 moves of a King’s Indian Panno-Fianchetto variation.

Gomez, a three-time Olympian, drew with Indian IM Narayanan Sunilduth Lyna and then downed Grigoryan in 56 moves of an English Opening: Caro-Kann to improve to 6.0 points, in a tie with Demchenko, who gained the most with successive victories over GM Oliver Barbosa and erstwhile co-leader GM Julio Catalino Sadorra.

The United States-based Sadorra, who beat IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia Thursday, remained at 5.5 points in the company of Sunilduth Lyna and veteran GM Rogelio Antonio entering the last two rounds of the $30,000 tournament sponsored by Puregold and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Handling white with precision, Sunilduth Lyna stunned Georgian GM Levan Pantsulaia, champion of last week’s Philippine Interna tional Chess Championship, in 44 moves of a Modern Benoni Classical yesterday in a strong follow-up to his conquest of Alcon John Datu on Thursday in the seventh of the 10-round tournament supported by Asia United Bank, Burlington, Celebrity Sports Plaza, Microtel and Harold’s Hotel.

The pivotal ninth round was being played last night with 12-time national champion Antonio, who beat Mongolian Fide Master Sumiya Bilguun yesterday, trying to stop Popov with the white pieces.