Garma wrests solo chess lead

On a day of changing fortunes, it was International Master Chito Garma who emerged as solo leader after getting the full point against NM Alex Milagrosa in the ninth round of the Grand Finals of the National Chess Championship at the 17th floor (Penthouse) of the All Asia Capital Center in Paseo de Roxas, Makati City.

Garma, who disposed of Milagrosa in 34 moves of a French Defense game, was one of only three winners in the men’s hostilities in the ninth round, as Grandmasters Eugene Torre and Joey Antonio failed to make any headway and settled for fighting draws.

Torre, who blitzed into a three-game winning streak after a shaky start, capped by a masterful 41-move victory over IM Mark Paragua in the eighth round, had no recourse but to agree to a draw with NM Yves Ranola after 70 moves of an English match, while Antonio’s game with NM Joseph Sanchez also ended into a standoff after 52 moves of a Scotch game.

The draw moved Torre one notch higher in a tie for fourth to sixth places with fellow GM Bong Villamayor and IM Nelson Mariano. Antonio, on the other hand, has five points in a three-way tie with Sanchez and IM Barlo Nadera.

Villamayor and Nadera were the other two winners in the ninth round, with Villamayor repulsing NM Petronio Roca in 52 moves of a Slav, and Nadera outsteadying Melvin Merelos after 52 of a Nimzo-Indian as the tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and hosted by Lex Development Corp. approaches its last seven rounds.

Paragua and 15-year old NM John Paul Gomez kept their second-third position after likewise settling for similar easy draws.