Win puts So back in contention

Manila, Philippines - Grandmaster Wesley So beat FM Javad Alavi Sayed of Iran to wheel back into contention even as Chinese GM Bu Xiangzhi seized the solo lead with a win over GM Parimarjan Negi of India in the third round of the Asian Continental individual chess championship in Iran Wednesday.

The win was So’s first after back-to-back draws with the top Filipino bet moving in joint eighth with nine others, including compatriot Darwin Laylo.

Laylo whipped FM Jwan Bakr of Syria while GM John Paul Gomez routed IM Gao Rui of China to improve to 1.5 points with GM Mark Paragua, who halved the point with FM Ali Hussein Al Hussein of Iraq, and IM Oliver Barbosa, who held GM Ehsna Ghaemmaghami of Iran to a draw.

Bu outplayed Negi to grab the solo lead with three points, half-a-point ahead of GMs Yu Yangyi and Ewen Yang of China, who tote 2.5 points apiece.

The top four finishers will earn the right to represent the region in the World Cup set in Russia later this year.