Grandmaster Mark Paragua tamed International Master Oliver Dimakiling yesterday to share top spot lead with Belarusian GM Kirill Stupak after two rounds of the PSC-Puregold International Chess Challenge at Subic Peninsular Hotel in Olongapo, Zambales.
Paragua, now based in the United States, prevailed in 63 moves of a Queen’s Pawn Bishop Attack and climbed to 2.0 points with Stupak, who downed Armenian GM Tigran Kotanjan in 75 moves of an English Neo Catalan Declined.
Chinese GM Wang Hao, winner of last week’s Philippine International Chess Championship at the same venue, led 11 players at 1.5 points, including Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre and 12-time national champion Rogelio Antonio Jr.
The top-seeded Hao, toting an Elo 2678, subdued Rodolfo Panopio Jr. in 31 moves of a Sicilian Opening Delayed Alapin.
Torre, board 3 bronze medalist in this year’s Baku Chess Olympiad, drew with GM Darwin Laylo in 30 moves of an English King’s Knight Variation.
Antonio, on the other hand, agreed to a truce with Fide Master Minh Thang Tran.
Other second round victors were IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia, over Woman IM Catherine Secopito in 17 moves of an English Great Snake Attack, and Georgian Levan Pantsulaia, over IM Paulo Bersamina in 60 moves of a Reti-Barcza Opening.
Hamed Nouri, conqueror of Belarusian GM Vladislav Kovalev in the first round, settled for a draw against Vietnamese IM Tuan Minh Tran. They climbed to 1.5 with Chinese GM Lei Tinglie and GM-elect Haridas Pascua, who drew with second seed GM Anton Demchenko of Russia.
Lei, who’ll just wait for the confirmation of her GM title, also split the point with Indian Harshit Raja.
Stung by their first round defeats, GMs Boris Savchenko of Russia, Mikheil Mchedishvili of Georgia and Kovalev bounced back with victories over their respective rivals.
Savchenko beat Uzbek WIM Sarvinoz Kurbonboeva, Mchedishvili tamed Rolando Andador, while Kovalev bested Ali Branzuela.
Janelle Mae Frayna, the country’s first WGM, rebounded from her first round loss to Stupak by besting John Marvin Miciano, the PICC Challenger Division winner. —ROY LUARCA