Laylo draws Torre, keeps zonal lead

TAGAYTAY City, Philippines  – World Chess Olympiad veteran GM Darwin Laylo held his ground against Asia’s GM Eugene Torre’s strong play with the white pieces, battling to a draw and keeping the solo lead after the sixth round of the 2011 Asian Zone 3.3 chess championships at the Tagaytay Internationl Convention Center.

Laylo, seeded only seventh in the tough 48-player field with an Elo of 2516, kept his composure and reached a truce with the hard-fighting Torre by repetition of moves after 32 moves of the Trompovsky.

The draw enabled the 31-year-old campaigner, who is seeking his third appearance in the World Chess Cup, to keep the solo lead with five points on four wins and two draws in the nine-round competition. Laylo remains half a point ahead of Torre, GM Mark Paragua, GM Wei Meing Goh of Singapore and Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia in the chase for the two World Cup qualifiying berths at stake here.

Paragua, who is hoping to recapture the top spot in local chess hierarchy, outduelled GM Cao Sang of Vietnam to remain within striking distance with 4.5 points.

Goh, one of two Singaporeans in the field, continued his surprising run when he toppled IM Richard Bitoon.

Megaranto, on the other hand, shocked GM Zhang Zhong of Singapore to make it a four-way tie for second to fifth places with 4.5 points.

 GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. trounced GM Nguyen Duc Hoa, whlile newly crowned Asian Youth under-16 gold medalist Jan Emmanuel Garcia stunned GM Nguyen Anh Dung I to vault into contention with four points.

Also making their presence felt on another big day for the Filipinos were reigning national junior champion Mari Joseph Turqueza, who toppled IM Taufik Halay of Indonesia; IM Oliver Dimakiling, who subdued Myagmarsuren Gunbayar of Mongolia; Alcon John Datu, who crushed FM Kahmiran of Indonesia; and FM Randy Segarra, who beat compatriot Reggie Edgar Olay.

Turqueza, Dimakiling, Datu and Segarra are now tied with GM Jhn Paul Gomez and IM Oliver Barbosa with 3.5 points.

Gomez, a member of the Philippineteam which bagged the silver medal in the Guangzhou Asian Games, drew with IM Nguyen Huyn Minh of Vietnam, while Barbosa halved the point with compatriot IM Rolando Nolte