Dableo, Barbosa humble GMs Torre, Antonio

Asian Games-bound IM Ronald Dableo and unheralded Oliver Barbosa pulled off shocking victories over GMs Eugene Torre and Joey Antonio, respectively, last night to close in on leaders GMs Alexander Onischuk and Varuzhan Akobian of the United States in the fifth round of the 2006 President Arroyo Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Dableo, ranked No. 18 here, stunned the No. 9 seed Torre in 40 moves of a Reti Opening while No. 23 Barbosa, a former kiddies and juniors champion, surprised No. 10 Antonio in 30 moves of a Sicilian encounter to join five others with four points, half a point behind top seed Onischuk and No. 5 Akobian, who drew their match in 27 moves of a Nimzo-Indian Defense.

Also with four points were IM Darwin Laylo, who will join Dableo in the 2006 Doha Asian Games slated Dec. 5-15, No. 2 GM Zhang Pengxiang, No. 4 GM Zhang Zhong and IM Wang Rui of China and No. 6 GM Vladimir Belov of Russia.

Zhang Pengxiang halved the point with Wang in just six moves, Laylo turned back IM Barlo Nadera in 63 moves of a Slav duel, Zhang Zhong trounced No. 8 GM Victor Mikhalevski of Israel in 65 moves of a Ruy Lopez, and Belov beat IM Chito Garma in 55 moves of a French.

Top RP bet GM Mark Paragua edged John Paul Gomez to lead the 3.5-point scorers, who include Mikhalevski, Ni, IMs Yves Ranola, Tahir Vakhidov of Uzbekistan, GM Bong Villamayor, IM Richard Bitoon, Rolando Nolte, Sander Severino and teener Wesley So.

It was indeed a big victory for Dableo, who earlier crushed Anam Khairul of Indonesia in 31 moves of a Benoni in the fourth round, which was played in the morning. Barbosa, on the other hand, downed NM Rustum Tolention in 36 moves of an English Opening.

So, the 13-year-old prodigy chasing his second GM norm in as many weeks, kept his hopes alive by splitting the point with the highly-rated Ni Hua of China in 44 moves of the Sicilian in the fourth round.

But the pride of Bacoor, Cavite got stalled by another draw in the fifth, halving the point with FM Zhou Weiqi in 33 moves of a French.