Pinoy GMs log crucial wins in 3rd rd

Filipino Grandmasters Wesley So and Darwin Laylo scored pivotal wins on Wednesday in the third round of the 10th Asian Continental Individual chess championships at the Hotel Pardisan in Mashhad, Iran.

So, seeded third behind GMs Rustan Kasimdhanov (2685) of Uzbekistan and Krishnan Sasikiran (2676) of India with an ELO of 2667, defeated No. 38 IM Alavi Sayed Javad (2428) of Iran to keep alive his title chances in the nine-round event held to determine the region’s four representatives to the 2011 World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.

The No. 25 Laylo (2516), the hero in the Filipinos’ first-round campaign, bested No. 44 FM Jwan Bakr (2428) of Syria. So and Laylo raised their total to 2.0 points in a tie for 8th-15th place with eight others.

Fifth-seed GM Bu Xiangzhi (2662) of China routed Negi to grab the solo lead with 3.0 points while six players, led by Sasikiran and No. 3 GM Pentala Harikrishna (2666) of India, shared second to 7th places with 2.5 points.

Meanwhile, No. 20 GM John Paul Gomez (2538) beat No. 39 IM Gao Rui (2419) of China, No. 19 GM Mark Paragua (2542) drew with No. 42 FM Hussein Ali Hussein (2394) of Iraq while No. 27 IM Oliver Barbosa (2506) also halved the point with No. 12 GM Ehsan Ghaem Maghami (2606).

The three Pinoys accumulated 1.5 points along with Kasimdhanov, the tournament favorite who beat No. 48 Khademi Mohammad Miran (2308) of Iran.

In the fourth round, So will take on Adhiban B, Laylo will battle Zhao, Gomez will meet No. 43 IM Das Debashis (2392) of India, Paragua will battle No. 28 GM Anuar Ismagambetov (2500) of Kazakshtan while Barbosa will go up against No. 42 FM Al-Ali Hussein Ali Hussein (2394) of Iraq.