Garma, other seeded bets fall in rash of upsets

The first round of the Shell National Open Rapid Chess Championship turned out to be a nightmarish start for the top seeds, as lesser-ranked players showed up their fancied opponents, including two International Masters, yesterday at the Immaculate Conception Multi-Purpose Bldg. in Quezon City.

The hardest to fall was no less than IM Chito Garma, the highest-ranked player in the tournament with an NCFP rating of 2437, who got waylaid by a virtual unknown in 48th-ranked Melben Roque in their French Defense game.

Roque, a second-year BS Management student at Letran, threw caution to the wind and attacked Garma’s kingside with abandon, winning the h-pawn in the process. That proved to be a prelude to black’s downfall, as Roque marshalled his knight, bishop and rook to wear down Garma’s defenses.

Garma tried to find counterplay in Roque’s queenside but the Cebu City native held on, and after gobbling up black’s bishop, was clearly on the way to the biggest victory in his chess career.

"Tsamba lang," said Roque, who topped the recent Cebu Open. "Maaga kasi siyang nag-castling kaya nakakita kaagad ako ng butas."

The rash of upsets didn’t stop at the top board as IM Ronald Bancod also lost against a lower seed in Marlon Ricafort of the Seabees Philippine Navy in their Sicilian-Dragon encounter.

The 52nd-ranked Ricafort forced Bancod to exchange his rook for a knight to get out of a pin, but still couldn’t shake off White’s passed pawns at the queenside. After several exchanges, Ricafort had two rooks and an unstoppable passed pawn at the a-file against Bancod’s rook and a knight.

"Noong ma-pin ko siya, napilitan siyang ibigay ‘yung rook dahil gusto niyang habulin ‘yung pawns ko sa queenside. Pero nagkaproblema siya sa a-pawn ko dahil hindi niya na mapigil nung endgame," said the 26-year old Ricafort.

National Masters Rolly Martinez and Andrew Vasquez also joined the list of upset victims as they too absorbed heartbreaking setbacks in the opening round of the tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and sponsored by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp.

Martinez, the No. 9 seed, fell to 57th seed Butch Villavieja, while Vasquez bowed to veteran non-master Roberto Torres, ranked 70th in a field of 100 players.

IM Barlo Nadera, NMs Richard Bitoon, Jayson Gonzales, FIDE Master and National Open runner-up Fernie Donguines, FM Jesse Noel Sales and NM Emmanuel Senador escaped the embarrassment of an upset in the opening round and defeated their respective opponents.