Standings after three rounds:
3.0 points—B. Xiangzhi (CHN); 2.5—Y. Yangyi (CHN), W. Yang (CHN), P. Harikrishna (IND), K. Sasikiran (IND), A. Pourramezanali (IRN), R. Jumabayev (KAZ); 2.0—W. So (PHI), P. Negi (IND), S. Megaranto (INA), D.T. Hai (VIE), B. Adhiban (IND), A. Kunte (IND), Z. Weiqi (CHN), D. Laylo (PHI), S. Ganguly (IND), Z. Jun (CHN).
MASHHAD, IRAN—Filipino Grandmaster Wesley So subdued FM Javad Alavi Sayed of Iran in the third round to stay in touch with the leaders in the 10th Asian Continental Individual chess championship here Wednesday.
So, seeded third in the tournament behind Uzbek GM Ruslan Kasimdhanov and Indian GM Krishnan Sasikiran, beat his lower-rated Iranian rival with the white pieces to improve his total to two points on a win and two draws.
The 17-year-old Filipino champion opened his campaign with draws against GM Anuar Ismagambetov of Kazakhstan and GM Dao Thien Hai of Vietnam.
GM Darwin Laylo beat Syrian FM Jwan Bakr and GM John Paul Gomez routed Chinese IM Gao Rui to keep their hopes alive in this nine-round 50-player event.
GM Mark Paragua settled for a draw with FM Ali Hussein Al Hussein of Iraq, while IM Oliver Barbosa drew with GM Ehsna Ghaemmaghami of Iran to complete a near-perfect day for the Filipinos. Gomez, Paragua and Barbosa all have 1.5 points.