PHL CHESS SQUAD REBOUNDS, MELTS ICELAND, 3-1
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 02 Sep 2012
Eugene Torre.
Manila -- THE 35th-seed Philippine chess team scored a 3-1 victory over 51st-seed Iceland in the fifth round of the 40th FIDE World Chess Olympiad early Sunday morning (Manila Time) at the WOW Convention Center in Istanbul, Turkey.
GM Oliver Barbosa (2554) and GM Mark Paragua (2508) scored full-point wins for the Philippines which rebounded from a heart-breaking loss to third seed Armenia, 1.5-2.5, in the fourth round early Saturday morning (Manila Time).
The Taytay, Rizal native Barbosa defeated a known chess author GM Henrik Danielsen (2511) after 35 moves of Bogo-Indian defense by accumulating small advantages and finishing with good technique on board 2 while the Tondo, Manila born Paragua presented his opponent with practical difficulties in the opening, subtleties in the middlegame and awesome tactics even in the endgame outmaneuvered International Master Dagur Arngrimmson (2375) in their rook and pawn endgame that lasted 48 moves of Slav Defense on board 4 to complete the country?s fourth win in five rounds under the match point scoring system being used for only the third time in the Olympiad since 1927.
The match point scoring system awards two points for a win, one point for a draw and zero for a loss.
But GMs Wesley So (2652) and Eugene Torre (2469) drew with GMs Hannes Stefansson (2515) and Throstur Thorhallsson (2426) on boards 1 and 3, respectively.
So split the point with Stefansson after after 31 moves of Sicilian defense, Najdorf variation while the 60-year-old Torre, dubbed as ?The Ageless Warrior,? halved the point with Thorhallsson after 34 moves of Scotch Opening.
Over-all, the Filipinos notched eight points for a share of 5th to 21st place. They are 2 points behind tournament co-leaders top seed Russia and third seed Armenia which had 10 points each. Seventh-seed Azerbaijan and 19th-seed Croatia had 9 points each for a share of 3rd to 4th place.
The Pinoys will next meet 10th-seed Bulgaria. Grandmasters Veselin Topalov (2752) and Ivan Cheparinov (2681) struck with the white pieces to lift the Bulgaria past 71st-seed Peru, 2.5-1.5.
During the last Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia two years ago, the nationals suffered a heart-breaking loss to Bulgaria, 1.5-2.5, with So split the point with Topalov on board one while Torre defeated IM Kiprian Berbatov on board four. GM John Paul Gomez lost to Cheparinov on board two while Laylo succumbed to GM Aleksander Delchev on board three.
National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Chairman/President Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. is expecting another battle royal between the Filipinos and Bulgarians in Sunday night tussle. ?I expect another tough night (Sunday) against Bulgaria just like last Saturday against Armenia," said Pichay, who watched the game live through the Internet back home in Manila. According to Pichay, he will field So, Barbosa, Paragua and Torre against the heavyweight Bulgarians.
In other results, Russia defeated fourth-seed Hungrary, 2.5-1.5, Armenia nipped second-seed and defending champion Ukraine, 2.5-1.5, Azerbaijan crushed 53rd-ssed Canada, 3.5-0.5, while Croatia edged eight-seed France, 2.5-1.5.
In the distaff side, Woman International Master Catherine Perena (2091) and Woman National Master (2061) Jedara Docena stunned their more accomplished foes using the black pieces to secure the country?s 3-1 romp over South Africa.
Perena downed Woman Grandmaster Melissa Greef (2091) on board 1 while Docena toppled WIM Denise Frick (1896) on board 3.WNM Janelle Mae Frayna (1991) settled for a draw against WIM Cecile Van Der Merwe (2043) on board 2 while WNM Jan Jodilyn Fronda (2022) halved the point with Woman FIDE Master Tshepang Tlale (1782) on board 4. It was third consecutive match win by the women?s team and fourth in five rounds overall. The Phl?s women?s team jump to a share of 6th to 16th place with 11 others at eight points.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Marlon Bernardino.
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