GM Gomez triumphs; Antonio faces ban

MANILA, Philippines—Filipino Grandmaster John Paul Gomez beat Chinese International Master Yu Lie in the seventh round yesterday to stay in contention in the sixth Prospero Pichay Cup international chess championship at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.   With fellow national team mainstay GM Darwin Laylo falling by the wayside, Gomez and unheralded David Elorta carried the fight for the Philippines in the nine-round, $30,000 tournament.   The 23-year-old Gomez, seeded sixth with an Elo of 2527, raised his record to four wins, two draws and one loss and shared fourth to sixth places with Georgian GM Merab Gagunashvili and Elorta.   They are half a point behind co-leaders GM Anton Filippov of Uzbekistan, GM Murtas Kazhgaleyev of Kazakhstan and GM Tamaz Gelashvili of Georgia with two rounds to go in the event organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.   Continuing his surprising showing in the 46-player field,  Elorta toppled countryman IM Oliver Dimakiling to stay within striking distance of the $6,000 top prize.   The second-seeded Filippov drew with Gelashvili in the sixth round and Gagunashvili in the seventh to keep a share of the lead.   Meanwhile, Pichay said GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. faces expulsion from the national team set to see action in the 2010 Chess Olympiad if he fails to return to the country in time and participate in the first Fide president Florencio Campomanes Memorial chess tournament starting Saturday.   The 47-year-old Antonio, the country’s second highest-rated player behind GM Wesley So, decided to skip the Pichay Cup and instead compete in the Central California Open in Fresno, California, which he topped.   Pichay instructed NCFP executive director Willie Abalos to relay the possible sanction to Antonio, who left the country without  prior approval of the chess federation.   Kazhgaleyev drew with Gagunashvili in the sixth round and then bested Laylo in the seventh to forge a three-way tie for the lead with Filippov and Gelahsvili.