Sadorra, Gomez, Emperado remain on top in Pacquiao Asian chess
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 20 May 2013
Individual Standings after Round 2:
(Open division)
2.0 points---GM Julio Catalino Sadorra (PHI), Emmanuel Emperado (PHI), GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son (VIET), GM Le Quang Liem (VIET), GM Mohammed Al-Sayed (QAT), GM John Paul Gomez (PHI), IM Wang Chen (CHN)
1.5 points---GM Li Shilong (CHN), GM Santosh Gujrathi Vidit (IND), FM Mari Joseph Turqueza (PHI), GM Li Chao (CHN), IM Wan Yunguo (CHN), GM Darwin Laylo (PHI), IM Nguyen Doc Hoa (VIET), IM Chito Garma (PHI), GM Mark Paragua (PHI), GM Subramanian Arun Prasad (IND), IM Goh Weiming (SIN), FM Haridas Pascua (PHI), GM Baskaran Adhiban (IND), GM Marat Dzumaev (UZB), GM Niaz Murshed (BAN), IM Kiril Kuderinov (KAZ)
(Women's Division)
2.0 points---WGM Huang Qian (CHN), WGM Guo Qi (CHN), IM Pham Le Thao Nguyen (VIET), WGM Mary Ann Gomes (IND), WGM Nafisa Muminova (UZB)
1.5 points---WGM Guliskhan Nakhbayeva (KAZ), WIM Zhai Mo (CHN), WGM Bhakti Pradip Kulkarni (IND), WIM Hoang Thi Nhu Y (VIET), WGM Le Thanh Tu (VIET), WGM Hoang Thi Bao Tram (VIET), WNM Jan Jodilyn Fronda (PHI), IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul (MGL), WGM Nguyen Thi Thanh An (VIET)
Top Board Pairings, Round 3:
GM John Paul Gomez (PHI) vs GM Le Quang Liem (VIET)
GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son (VIET) vs GM Mohammed Al-Sayed (QAT)
IM Wang Chen (CHN) vs GM Julio Catalino Sadorra (PHI)
GM Li Chao (CHN) vs Emmanuel Emperado (PHI)
MANILA, Philippines ? Filipino Grandmasters (GMs) Julio Catalino Sadorra, John Paul Gomez and untitled Emmanuel Emperado toppled their respective rivals in the second round of Sunday night in the $100,000 Manny Pacquiao Cup Asian Continental Chess Championship at Midas Hotel and Casino in Pasay City.
The second straight victories of Sadorra, Gomez and Emperdao, all product of the highly successful Milo Checkmate program created a seven-way tie for first place along with top seed GMs Le Quang Liem and Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son of Vietnam, GM Mohammed Al-Sayed of Qatar and IM Wang Chen of China.
The 26-year-old Sadorra, a senior business administration student at University of Texas-Dallas, routed IM Husein Aziz Nezad after 26 moves of Slav defense, Gomez trounced Theolifus Taher Yoseph of Indonesia after 46 moves of French defense, while Emperado, son of former Olympian WNM Mila Emperado upset GM G.N. Gopal of India after 35 moves of Sicilian defense.
"Pumasok po sa preparation po natin. Saka crucial yung rook to g7 sacrifice sa 19th moves, makukuha ko ang kanyang Queen o ma me mate po sya," said Sadorra.
Le, who boasts an Elo rating of 2714, crushed GM Tsegmed Batchuluun of Mongolia after 66 moves of Queens Pawn Game, Al-Sayed bested GM Parimarjan Negi of India after 26 moves of Slav defense while Wang outclassed GM Babu Lalith of India after 36 moves of Modern defense as they revved up their bid for the five World Cup slots at stake in the nine-round Open division tournament put up by World boxing champion Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao which offers a total of $100,000 cash prize await winners.
The event organized by the Eugene Torre Chess Foundation and also supported by Cafe Puro, Alaxan, Oriental and Motolite Corp. is held under the auspices of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines headed by it's Chairman/President Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr., Secretary-General newly-elected Cavite 7th district Rep. Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino Jr., Asian Chess Federation and FIDE (World Chess Federation).
"So far, so good. Maganda ang inilalaro nina Julio Catalino [Sadorra], John Paul [Gomez] and Emmanuel [Emperado]," said National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Chairman/President Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr.
" Sana magtuloy-tuloy ang magandang showing ng mga players natin," added NCFP Deputy-Secretary General Red Dumuk.
Meanwhile, GM Darwin Laylo of the Philippines defeated countryman IM Joel Pimentel as well IM Chito Garma nipped GM Oliver Barbosa to lead the huge group of 1.5 pointers that includes compatriots GM Mark Paragua and FM Haridas Pascua who ended their game into a fighting draw after 80 moves of Gruenfeld defense and so did Fide Master Mari Joseph Turqueza who split the point with GM Subramanian Arun Prasad
of India after 33 moves of Reti Opening in the second round.
Also with 1.5 points are GMs Li Shilong, Li Chao and IM Wan Yunguo of China, GM Baskaran Adhiban of India, GM Marat Dzumaev of Uzbekistan, GM Niaz Murshed of Bangladesh, IM Kiril Kuderinov of Kazakhstan, IM Nguyen Doc Hoa of Vietnam and IM Goh Weiming of Singapore.
In Monday's third round, Gomez will take on Le on Board 1, Truong Son plays opposite of Al-Sayed on Board 2, Wang goes up against Sadorra on Board 3 while Li will test the mettle of Emperado on Board 4.
Sharing the limelight is IM Barlo Nadera of the Philippines who drew with 3rd seed GM Krishnan Sasikiran of India and 7th seed GM Ehsan Ghaem Maghami of Iran, respectively.
In the women?s division, Woman Grandmasters Huang Qian and Guo Qi of China, IM Pham Le Thao Nguyen of Vietnam, WGM Mary Ann Gomes of India and WGM Nafisa Muminova of Uzbekistan continued their winning ways to share on top with 2.0 points each.
Huang crushed WGM Swaminathan Soumya of India, Qi tamed WIM Nguyen Thi Mai Hung of Vietnam, Pham whacked Lei Tingjie of China, Gomes subdued WIM Chelsie Monica Sihite of Indonesia and Muminova whipped WGM Wang Jue of China.
Woman National Master Jan Jodilyn Fronda of the Philippines halved the point with WGM Guliskhan Nakhbayeva of Kazakhstan to share 6th to 14th place with 1.5 points in the company of Nakhbayeva, WIM Zhai Mo of China, WGM Bhakti Pradip Kulkarni of India, IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul on Mongolia, WGMs Le Thanh Tu , Hoang Thi Bao Tram and Nguyen Thi Thanh An and WIM Hoang Thi Nhu Y of Vietnam. The women are disputing the lone slot in the 2014 Women?s World Championship.
Photo: National coach NM Cesar Caturla, GM Mark Paragua, NCFP Executive Director GM Jayson Gonzales, NCFP Vice President for Luzon Atty.Ruel Canobas, GM Julio Catalino Sadorra, GM Richard Bitoon, GM Oliver Barbosa and GM John Paul Gomez (Gener B. Lumanog).
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Marlon Bernardino.
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