Datu, Senador top chess elims

National Master Emmanuel Senador beat fellow NM Jerome Balico yesterday to end tied on top with FIDE Master Idelfonso Datu at the end of the National Open Chess championships eliminations at Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan.

Playing white, Senador, an Airman and protege of Air Force chief Gen. Benjie Defensor, capped a seven-game winning streak by going all out to subdue Balico in 36 moves of a Sicilian to secure his ninth point that gave him a share of the lead with Datu.

Datu, an Armyman and backed by the Philippine Chess Society, opted to play it safe and settled for a draw with International Barlo Nadera after just 16 moves of an English Opening.

Fourteen woodpushers wound up in the next rung with 8.5 points, prompting the use of the Bucholz tie-breaking system to pick the seven other entries advancing with Datu and Senador to the finals starting tomorrow at the Ramon Magsaysay Hall of the SSS building in Quezon City.

The others who made it were International Master Chito Garma, FIDE Master Jesse Noel Sales and National Masters Richard Bitoon, Jayson Gonzales, Reggie Olay, Darwin Laylo and Alan Sayson.

Garma and Bitoon played to a grandmasters draw in just two moves of Sicilian; Sales and Gonzales did the same in eight moves of a Reti while Laylo and Olay split their match in six moves of a Gruenfeld.

Sayson took the last slot by drawing fellow NM Yves Rañola after 65 moves of a King’s Indian.

Among the prominent casualties was International Master and former child whiz Mark Paragua, who drew against NM and reigning national junior champ John Paul Gomez moves of a Sicilian encounter to earn his eighth point.

Daisy Rivera subdued Rosela Joya in 40 moves of Ruy Lopez Opening to top the women’s division elimination round with 7.5 points.

Finishing second was Joann Toledo who tallied seven points after drawing against Jennifer Cruz in 27 moves of a Pirc encounter.

Cruz, Joya, Sherrie Joy Lomibao, Minda Flores and Aileen Riza Caños were in joint third place with 6.5 points apiece.

Lomibao beat Jonalyn Torres in 51 moves of a Sicilian. Flores beat Carmina Joy Mariano and Caños subdued Christian Castellano in 30 moves of a Sicilian Game.

Torres and Ana Paula, Castillo, drew with Sherie Pearl dela Cruz in 46 moves of a Reti, took the last two slots in the women’s finals with six points each.

Christine Grace Espallardo and Leah Bernardo, veterans of last year’s World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey, failed to advance after garnering only 5.5 points each.

The top nine finishers in the men’s and women’s eliminations will advance to the finals.

Grandmaster Eugene Torre, Joey Antonio and Bong Villamayor in the next phase of the tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

The same with International Master Christine Rose Mariano, FIDE Master Arianne Caoili and NM Beverly Mendoza who have been seeded to the women’s finals.