Antonio topples Certek, gains share of lead in 27th World Senior Chess Championship 2017
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 12 Nov 2017
FILIPINO Grandmaster Rogelio "Joey" Antonio Jr. defeated Slovakian Fide Master (FM) Pavel Certek (2295) in 79 moves of a London System Opening to gain a share of the lead in Sunday's fifth round of the on-going 27th World Senior Chess Championship 2017 (50+ and 65+ Open-men and women) in Acqui Terme, Italy.
Antonio, with an ELO rating of 2431, the sixth-seed in this 11-round swiss system tournament, 50-years-old category, showed his mastery in the Rook, Bishop and Pawn end game to hike his point total to 4.5 points and force a two-way tie for the lead with overnight solo leader and tournament top seed GM Julio Granda Zuniga of Peru (2650). Zuniga, on the other hand, split the point with No. 3 GM Zurab Sturua of Goergia (2536) in 32 moves of Queens Pawn game transposition. Antonio and Zuniga will slug it out for the leadership board in Monday's sixth round.
According to Philippine Executive chess champion Atty. Cliburn Anthony A. Orbe who watched the game live through internet chessbomb.com, when the smoke is cleared, Antonio had a rook, bishop and three pawns, the same as Certek. However, Antonio's pawn in the g-file is unstopabble passed pawn.
Trailing Antonio and Zuniga at four points are Sturua, No.4 GM Klaus Bischoff of Germany (2513), No. 5 GM Eric Prie of France (2482) , No.8 IM Evgenij Kalegin of Russia (2426), No.9 GM Giorgi Bagaturov of Georgia (2399), No.10 IM Alexander Reprintsev of Ukraine (2361), No.13 IM Oliver Brendel of Germany (2334) and No.20 IM Devaki V Prasad of India (2290).
Meanwhile, another Filipino entry and third seed GM Eugene Torre (2465) took the scalped of No. 54 FM Peter Hohler of Switzerland (2152).
The win raised Torre's tally to 3.5 points in the 65-years-old and above category, the same output of his sixth round opponent No. 26 Matthias Kierzek of Germany (2252), who drew with No. 57 Alexander A.Yakimenko of Russia (2115).
No.6 GM Vladimir Okhotnik of France (2434) stopped the winning run of former solo leader No.13 IM Nils-Gustaf Renman of (2368) in 40 moves of Old-Indian defense to create a three-way tie for first with No.7 GM Vlastimil Jansa of Czech Republic (2425) and No.27 FM Boris Gutkin of Israel (2250), all with 4.5 points apiece.
Jansa toppled No. 25 IM Janez Barle (2261) of Slovakia in 24 moves of Scandanavian defense while Gutkin outpointed No.11 GM Davorin Komljenovic of Croatia (2379) in 52 moves of Double Fianchetto Opening.
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