Barbosa halts Torre win run, closes in on So

MANILA, Philippines - GM John Paul Gomez held top seed GM Wesley So to another draw, enabling GM-candidate Oliver Barbosa to close in with a resounding victory over GM Eugene Torre in the seventh round of the National Championships at the National Press Club Auditorium in Manila yesterday.

Barbosa stopped Torre’s two-win streak with a 32-move victory in a seldom-used Bogo-Indian Defense, raising his total to five points and moving half-a-point behind So, who split the point with Gomez in 37 moves of their super sharp Sicilian encounter.

The win also moved Barbosa a point closer from obtaining his second GM result. He clinched the first GM norm during the 10th Asian Continental Individual Chess Championships in Mashhad, Iran last May.

“I’ve prepared hard for this tournament and I hope I could win, if not give Wesley (So) a serious challenge,” said Barbosa.

GM Darwin Laylo also settled for a draw with US-based Banjo Barcenilla after 32 moves of a Caro-Kann to stay in the hunt with 4.5 points in the event backed by Pilipinas Shell, Waterfront Hotel and Casino and Philippine Sports Commission.

GMs Mark Paragua and Joey Antonio drew with IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia in 40 moves of a Gruenfeld defense and IM Yves Ranola in 30 moves of rarely employed Alekhine Defense, respectively, to improve to 3.5 points.

In women’s play, defending champion Woman FIDE Master Rulp Ylem Jose edged reigning national junior U-20 champion Woman National Master Janelle Mae Frayna after 36 moves of Alekhine defense to grab the solo lead after six rounds with five points.

Former leader Woman International Master Catherine Perena fell to second spot with 4.5 points after bowing to WNM Jedara Docena in 54 moves of Center Counter Defense.