RP bows to UAE in Asian Cup

Dubai Open champion GM Wesley So drew with super GM Sergey Karjakin in a keenly awaited battle between two of the world’s youngest GMs but RP-Tagaytay suffered a 0.5-3.5 beating from top seed Al Ain (UAE) in the fourth round of the Asian Club Cup chess team championship at the Al Ain Chess Club in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates Sunday.

So, who topped the 10th Dubai Open chess championship in Dubai last April, held his own with the black against the highly rated the 18-year-old Karjakin, who totes a 2730 rating and ranked 15th overall in the world.

But while So managed to force a draw, GMs John Paul Gomez, Mark Paragua and Darwin Laylo all succumbed to their respective rivals as Team RP took its first loss after sweeping its first three games.

Gomez bowed to GM Zahar Efimenko of Ukraine, Paragua lost to GM Baadur Jobava of Georgia and Laylo fell to GM Li Chao of China.

The loss stalled the fourth-seeded Filipinos, who slid to joint third with three points, a full point behind Al Ai (UAE) and Qi Yuan (China).

RP-Tagaytay earlier beat Al Shuolaa (Yemen), 4-0; Mon-Cad (Mongolia), 3.5-5.; and Tajikistan Chess Club (Tajikistan), 4-0.

Qi Yuan, bannered by GMs Wang Hao and Zhou Jiangchao, outduelled Club India (India), 2.5-1.5, to share the lead with Akl Ain with four points.

Wang provided the lone victory for the third-seeded Chinese squad, beating IM R.R. Laxman on the top board.

The three other matches ended in draws.

Overall, Al Ain has a four-round aggregate of 14 points, 1.5 points ahead of Qi Yuan, Vietnam Victory Club (Vietnam) and Club India.

RP-Tagaytay has 12 points.

Meanwhile, RP-Tagaytay tries to recover lost ground as it plays Club India in the fifth round.

Joining RP-Tagaytay in third are Vietnam Victory Club, Club India, Fajr Shams (Iran), Chirchik (Uzbekistan), Club Intchess (Singapore) and Al Ain-B.

Vietnam moved in contention for the overall title with a 4-0 shutout win over Tajikistan Chess Club (Tajikistan).

Fajr Shams (Iran), led by GMs Mikhail Kobalia and Ehsan Gahemmaghami, routed sister team Rah Aham (Iran), 3-1, to likewise stay in contention.

Intchess (Singapore), led by Vetnamese GM Bui Vinh and Filipino IM Julio Catalino Sadorra, crushed Glakynysh (Turkmenistan), 3-1, while Al Ain-B, bannered by IM Merhsard Sharf, edged Sharjah Chess Club (UAE), 2.5-1.5.