Torre, six others share Zonal lead

Filipino grandmaster Eugene Torre scored a second straight win with a third-round victory over compatriot Oliver Dimakiling yesterday to gain a share of the lead with six others in the 2007 Asian Zonal Chess Championships in Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s Kien Giang province.

Following up his second-round win over Vietnamese FIDE master Ton That Nhu Tung, Torre caught up with Filipino wiz kid Wesley So, Nouri Hamed and four Vietnam bets with 2.5 points apiece going into the fourth round.

So, off to a sizzling start with back-to-back wins over Vietnam’s Bao Khoa and countryman GM Mark Paragua, was held to a draw by Vietnamese GM Le Quang Liem in the third round.

The young Filipino IM remained in the lead, though, with second round co-leaders Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, Tu Hoang Thong, Bui Vinh and Nouri Hamed also settling for a half-point in the round.

The top-seeded Paragua bounced back from his defeat to So with a victory over Vietnamese FM Pham Chuong to lead two-pointers who included Filipinos GM Nelson Mariano II, IM Darwin Laylo and Oliver Barbosa.

Paragua and Barbosa battle in the fourth round.

Four Vietnamese in Nguyen Anh Dung, Nguyen Huynh Minh Huy, Hoang Canh Huan and Vo Than Ninh also totaled two points after three rounds.

GM Rogelio Antonio, IM Ronald Dableo and Dimakiling were with a big group of players with 1.5 points.

The 13-year-old So, the Philippines’ youngest ever national champion, took advantage of the white pieces in securing a 38-move victory over Paragua in the second round.

In women’s play, Filipina Catherine Perena drew with Vietnamese WGM Nguyen Thi Thanh An after two straight victories to stand at solo third going into the fourth round.

Vietnamese WFM Le Than Tu and WFM Pham Le Thao Nguyen were undefeated in the first three rounds where other Filipina bets Sheerie Joy Lomibao, Beverly Mendoza and Jane Cunanan produced only one point each.