Antonio shares Italy lead; Torre rises

Filipino Grandmaster Rogelio “Joey” Antonio drew with top seed Peruvian GM Julio Granda Zuñiga in the sixth round as they shared the lead with four others in the 2017 World Senior Chess Championship 50 and over division in Acqui Terme, Italy, on Sunday.

Seeded sixth with his Elo rating of 2431, the 55-year-old Antonio forced Zuñiga, a four-time American continental champion with Elo 2650, to split the point after 56 moves of a Sicilian Defense, allowing Georgian GM Sturua Zurab, Ukrainian International Master Reprintsev Alexander, French GM Prie Eric and German IM Brendel Oliver to catch up with them at 5.0 points.

Zurab beat Indian IM Prasad Devaki, Alexander stunned German GM Bischoff Klaus, Eric downed Georgian GM Bagaturov Giorgi, and Brendel subdued Russian IM Kalegin Evgenij.

In the end, Antonio, a 13-time national champion, had a rook and three pawns, including a passed pawn on c7, against the 50-year-old Zuñiga’s rook and four pawns.

Antonio is battling Eric in the seventh round at presstime.

Asia’s first GM, Eugene Torre, is also doing well in the 65 and over division of the 11-round tournament.

Torre bested German Matthias Kierzek in 54 moves of a Nimzo-Indian defense to inch closer toward the lead pack.

The win raised Torre’s tally to 4.5 points, right behind 5.0 pointers GM Vaisser Anatoly of France, GM Jansa Vlastimil of Czechoslovakia, GM Balashov Yuri of Russia and 3 others. Hee is pitted against Israeli FM Gutkin Boris at presstime. —ROY LUARCA