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Standings after seven rounds (RP unless stated):
6.0 points—Zhou W. China); 5.5—Li C. (China), Le Q.L. (Vietnam), S. Megaranto (Indonesia); 5.0—W. So (RP), R. Bitoon, E. Maghami (Iran), D. Liu (Indonesia), A.D. Nguyen (Vietnam); 4.5—R. Antonio, B. Villamayor, B. Nadera, R. Nolte, M. Majoob (Iran), S. Irwanto (Indonesia), Zhang X. (China), Xiu D. (China), K. Yang (China), Wang L. (China), Z. Zhang (China); 4.0—D. Elorta, J. Sadorra, J. Gomez, F. Pialan, D. Ballecer, Yu L. (China), Zhang J. (China)
SUBIC FREEPORT—Chinese pacesetter Zhou Weiqi and closest pursuer Li Chao waged an all-out war against each other but ended up even Sunday night in the seventh round of the 2nd Philippine Open international chess championship at the Subic Bay Convention and Exhibition Center.
The draw, after 64 moves of the French Defense, enabled Zhou to keep solo top spot with 6.0 points, while Li stayed close behind with 5.5 in the company of Vietnamese Grandmaster Le Quang Liem and Indonesian star Susanto Megaranto, who was beaten by Zhou in the sixth round Saturday night.
Megaranto, however, rebounded with a 63-move victory of a Queen’s Pawn Opening over Filipino National Master Rolando Nolte.
The much-awaited encounter between Filipino sensation GM Wesley So and GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. also ended in a draw.
So, the country’s highest-ranked player, and Antonio, erstwhile No. 1, both had a rook, knight, bishop and five pawns when they agreed to a truce after 27 moves of a Sicilian Rossolimo.
The 14-year-old So, who handled black, thus kept his half-point edge over Antonio with 5.0 points in the company of International Master Richard Bitoon, who trounced IM Zaw Hun Wynn after 51 moves of a Philidor Defense.
Also with the same score was top-seeded Iranian GM Ehsan Ghaemmagami (ELO 2604), who agreed to a truce with Le, conqueror of Antonio in the sixth round.
Singapore-based GM Buenaventura “Bong” Villamayor downed Jayson Salubre to gain a tie with Antonio at 4.5 and stay in the hunt for the $6,000 champion’s purse. Villmayor also bested Rustum Tolentino in the sixth round.
Another Filipino gainer was David Elorta, who handed Jin his second straight defeat for 4.0 points.
IM Julio Catalino Sadorra yielded to Indonesian IM Liu Dede and got stuck at 4.0 points.
The $40,000-tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines is being supported by the Department of Tourism and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.
Meanwhile, the $30,000 Subic Open will be held May 16-23 at the same venue.
NCFP president Prospero “Butch” Pichay and secretary general Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said they expect new players, including a Ukrainian GM, to compete.
