Demchenko, Gupta pace PH int’l chess

Standings after four rounds
Open Division: 3.5 points—Demchenko, Gupta; 3.0—Belous, Shomoev, Lin, Sivuk, Deepan; 2.5—Zubov, Sunilduth Lyna, Lu, Laylo, Savchenko, Nguyen, Ranola; 2.0—Mozharov, Torre, Sean, Nolte, Rohan, Antonio, Bitoon, Abelgas, Gotel; 1.5—Smirnov, Puranik, Bersamina; 1.0—Kotanjian, Pederson, Pascua, Frayna, Secopito, Mariano III; 0.5—Docena, Dimakiling; 0.0—Fronda, Galas

Indian Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta trounced Ukrainian GM Alexander Zubov in a fourth-round battle between the top two seeds yesterday to share the lead with Russian GM Anton Demchenko in the 2015 Philippine International Chess Championship at Subic Peninsular Hotel in Subic Freeport, Olongapo.

The 26-year-old Gupta, the 2008 world junior champion and the No. 1 seed, outwitted second seed Zubov in 41 moves of an Indian Defense to notch 3.5 points, the same score of Demchenko, who drew with countryman GM Vladimir Belous after 42 moves of a Sicilian-Scheveningen Defense.

Also gaining ground were Indian GM Chakkravarthy Deepan, Russian GM Anton Shomoev, Chinese International Master Lin Chen and Ukrainian GM Vitaly Sivuk, who beat their respective foes to climb to 3.0 points.

They were bunched with Belous, Zubov and Indian IM Narayanan Sunilduth Lyna.

Deepan stunned Russian GM Mikhail Mozharov in 72 of a Queen’s Indian; Shomoev downed Indonesian Winshand Cuhendi Sean in 33 of a Sicilian-Sveshnikov; Lin bested GM Eugene Torre while Sivuk upended IM Rolando Nolte in 57 of a King’s Indian Defense.

GM Darwin Laylo and IM Yves Ranola emerged as the best Filipino campaigners with 2.5 each after Laylo defeated Indian IM Abhimaryu Puranik and Ranola drew with Indian Fide Master Ahuja Rohan.

Also with 2.5 points are Lyna, Chinese GM Lu Shanglei, Russian GM Boris Savchenko and Vietnamese GM Duc Hoa Nguyen.