Belarus whips RP chessers

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines took a stinging 1-3 defeat from Belarus despite GM Wesley So’s tough draw against GM Sergei Zhigalko in the sixth round of the 39th World Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia Monday.

So, who will turn 17 on Oct. 9, made the right continuation in a complicated Pelikan and Sveshnikov variations of the Sicilian to squeeze a draw in 35 moves.

He had a queen, a rook and seven pawns against Zhilgalko’s queen, rook, knight and three pawns when the game was agreed drawn via repetition of moves.

It was actually So who veered away from the bookline of the game when he sacrificed a knight for two pawns on the 13th move. But Zhilgalko countered with precise moves and kept the pressure in a queen and rook ending.

GM John Paul Gomez also battled to a draw with GM Vitaly Teterev in 40 moves of the King’s Indian but GM Darwin Laylo lost to Evgeniy Podolchenko in 92 moves of the Queen’s Indian defense and IM Richard Bitoon bowed to IM Kiril Stupak in 58 moves of the Neo-Gruenfeld.