Megaranto grabs solo lead in AQ Prime ASEAN Chess Championship
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 17 Feb 2023
Individual Standings After Round 9
6.0 points---GM Susanto Megaranto (Indonesia)
5.5 points---IM Paulo Bersamina (Philippines)
5.5 points---IM Daniel Quizon (Philippines)
5.0 points---IM Mohamad Ervan (Indonesia)
5.0 points---GM John Paul Gomez (Philippines)
4.5 points---GM Darwin Laylo (Philippines)
4.5 points---IM Li Tian Yeoh (Malaysia)
4.0 points---Yoseph Theolifus Taher (Indonesia)
4.0 points---GM Nguyen Van Huy (Vietnam)
3.5 points---IM Rolando Nolte (Philippines)
3.5 points---CM Khuong Duy Dau (Vietnam)
3.0 points---FM Prin Laohawirapap (Thailand)
MANILA---Top seed Grandmaster Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia trounced International Master Rolando Nolte of the Philippines to assume solo lead after the ninth round of the AQ Prime ASEAN Chess Championship at the Great Eastern Hotel (formerly Aberdeen Court), Quezon Avenue in Quezon City on Thursday.
Megaranto played superbly with the advantage using the white pieces to clinch the win over Nolte after 58 moves of Sicilian defense.
The win gave Megaranto the solo lead with 6.0 points, a full point ahead of International Master Paulo Bersamina and International Master Daniel Quizon of the Philippines having 5.5 points each.
Bersamina drew with countryman Grandmaster John Paul Gomez after 31 moves of Sicilian defense while Quizon subdued International Master Li Tian Yeoh of Malaysia after 57 moves of Sicilian defense.
"With two more rounds to go, It's anybody's ball game," said Bersamina.
"I hope I can sustain my momentum," said Quizon.
Bersamina is set to face Nolte in Friday's 10th round while Quizon goes up against Megaranto.
Whereas in other results from Round 9, International Master Mohamad Ervan of Indonesia agreed to a draw with compatriot International Master Yoseph Theolifus Taher after only 17 moves of Catalan Opening; FIDE Master Prin Laohawirapap of Thailand upsets Grandmaster Darwin Laylo after 64 moves of Modern Benoni defense while Grandmaster Nguyen Van Huy of Vietnam split the points with Candidate Master Khuong Duy Dau of Vietnam after 12 moves of Sicilian defense.
The Champion of this event will have a chance to acquire an IM title or GM norm according to International Master Roderick Nava of Kamatyas Chess Club.
The week-long FIDE rated tournament is supported by AQ Prime Proprietor/President Atty. Aldwin Alegre, in close cooperation with the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP), the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the ASEAN Chess Confederation, organized by Kamatyas Chess Club.-Marlon Bernardino-
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