Bersamina outwits No.1 seed for 3rd

BEIJING, China – Asean age-group champion Paulo Bersamina came away with back-to-back victories to bounce back in contention in the penultimate round of the Asian Youth Invitational Chess Championships in Beijing, China yesterday.

Bersamina beat Amin Cheraghi of Iran in the seventh round then shocked top seed Wei Yi of China in the eighth to move within half-a-point behind joint leaders Yi and Diptayan Ghosh of India heading into the final round of the nine-round tournament.

Bersamina improved to six points for solo third while stalling Yi at 6.5 points to settle for joint share of the lead with second seed Diptayan Ghosh of India in the 12-and-under category.

Bersamina plays seventh seed Murali Karthikeyan of India in the final round.

Sharing the limelight was Janelle Mae Frayna, who whipped No. 15 seed Botakoz Koshkarova of Kazakhstan in the eighth round to remain in a three-way tie for seventh with five points.

Frayna, a third year high school student of FEU, will meet top seed Sri Choletti Sahaja of India in the final round.

The rest of the Filipino campaigners bowed out of contention.

FM Haridas Pascua drew with Zhang Shengyun of China and remained tied for 10th with 4.5 points in the boys’ 18-and-under class.

Dresden Olympiad veteran Christy Lamiel Bernales won over Baihan Chen of China in the seventh round but lost to WFM Nkrithika Pon of India in the eighth for joint 14th with four points.

In the boys 16 under, Jan Nigel Galan dumped Mukhit Ismailov of Kazkahstan in the sventh round but bowed to Pouya Idani of Iran to remain in 12th to 16th places with four points.