Torre, Beverly show way in standard chess

TAGAYTAY — Out to redeem itself from a mediocre stint in rapid event, Team Philippines firmed up its bid in the standard chess as GM Eugene Torre and WIM Beverly Mendoza took charge in their respective divisions after four rounds in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games in Tagaytay Convention Center yesterday.

Torre, who settled for bronze in the individual rapid chess, halved the point with Singapore GM Wu Shaobin in the third round then whipped FM Weiming Goh, also of Singapore, in 47 moves in the fourth to share the lead with fellow GM Nguyen Ngoc Truongson with 3.5 points.

"I already had an advantage in my opening (Larsen’s) but I overlooked some of his (Goh’s) counter-plays that caught me off guard for a while," said Torre, who had to exploit his stronger Queen’s side and his active bishop against Goh’s knight to pull off the win.

Torre and Truongson, winner of the gold medal in rapid, were clashing for the solo lead at presstime.

Meanwhile, Antonio and Dimakiling try to arrange an all-Filipino final in blitz chess as they battle the fancied Vietnamese tandem of Nguyen Anh Dung and Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, respectively, in the semifinal round starting at 9 a.m. today.

Catherine Pereña, on the other hand, takes on Nguyen Quyn Anh in one of the semis matches in the distaff side. The other semis pairing pits Indon Evi Lindiawati against Hoang Thi Bao Tram of Vietnam.

FM Oliver Dimakiling, tied with Torre and two others after three rounds, came up short in his bid to topple Truongson.

In other fourth round matches, GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. and IM Ronald Dableo settled for a 13-move draw in their English opening to join the big group of 2.5 pointers, who include Goh, Wu, Indon GM Susanto Megaranto and Dimakiling.

Untitled Oliver Barbosa advanced two notches from a previous 20th standing in round three when he defeated FM Chit Phyo of Myanmar in 73 moves of a Modern Defense game.

Mendoza, on the other hand, trampled Lay Shwe Tin of Myanmar in their Queen’s Gambit game then drew with WGM Nguyen Thi Thanh An of Vietnam in the fourth to seize the solo lead in women’s play with 3.5 points.

Untitled Shercila Cua, also of RP, beat Lay in 55 moves of their French Winawer game to join the three Vietnamese — Luong Minh Hue, Nguyen Thi Than An and Le Thanh Tu — in second place with three points.

Enerose Magno split the point with Wan Khye Theng of Malaysia to lead the 2.5 scorers, who include Viet Hoang Thi Bao Tram, Indon Stefani Dian Cheri and Theng.

WIM Sheerie Joy Lomibao also drew with WFM Yang Liu of Singapore but the top Filipina chesser had a lot of catching up to do with two points.