Chessers brace for semis vs Indians

GUANGZHOU – The Philippines struck anew in chess Wednesday, beating Kyrgyzstan, 2.5-1.5, on victories by GMs Wesley So and John Paul Gomez and draw by GM Eugene Torre to bolster their medal chances in the 16th Asian Games at the Guangzhou Chess Institute.

Inspired by their 2.5-1.5 upset win over India in the fifth round and a 3.5-.0.5 rout of Uzbekistan Tuesday, the Filipinos finished second behind China at the close of the seven-round elims with 12 points.

The top seeded China struggled past Kazakhstan, 2.5-1.5, to cap its unbeaten run with 14 points.

The Philippines takes on India for a berth in the final today while China battles Iran in the other semifinal encounter.

The Filipinos toppled the second seeded Indians, 2.5-1.5, in the fifth round.

So beat Algis Shukuraliev in only 27 moves of the Ruy Lopez Morphy variation while Gomez also made short work of Nurdin Samakov in 28 moves of the Queen’s Bishop attack. Torre sealed the win by holding FM Semetey Tologontegin to a draw in 28 moves of the Old Indian Tartakower variation.

Nasyr Akylbekov averted a sweep as he pulled the rug from under GM Darwin Laylo in their board 3 encounter.

The 17-year-old So, who played white, left nothing to chance and launched a relentless attack on Shukaraliev’s kingside with his queen, two rooks and two bishops. He was poised to capture black’s remaining bishop on e7 when the time-pressured Shukuraliev decided to resign.

Gomez pounced on a blunder by the lower-rated Samakov on the 17th move as he captured a knight. He had a rook, two bishops, a knight and four pawns against Samakov’s rook, two bishops and four pawns when Samakov resigned.

China shook off a strong challenge by Kazakhstan behind the lone victory provided by GM Bu Xiangzhi over GM Yevgeniy Vladimirov on board three.