MANILA, Philippines - KL Chess Kids Team A humbled Sol Marfori Philippines chess team B, 2.5-1.5, to force a three-way tie for the lead after five rounds of the 33rd Astro Merdeka Rapid Open Team Chess Championship 2013, dubbed 10th Malaysian Chess Festival 2013, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia over the weekend.
NM Roberto Suelo Jr., a former national junior champion, subdued Bengt Largo to clinch the much-needed victory for the Jaya Kumar-backed KL Chess Kids A.
In other results, IM Oliver Dimakiling drew with GM Darwin Laylo, NM David Elorta beat FM Deniel Causo, while Marvin Ting defeated Michael Palma for Sol Marfori’s full point.
KL Chess Kids Team A thus hiked its total to 10 points to tie Mastermind and KL Chess Kids Team B in the match point-style tournament which attracted 106 teams.
Mastermind, headed by GMs Alexander Fominyh and Wang Rui edged Coup De Grace of IM Mok Tze-Meng and FM Ooi Chern Ee, 2.5-1.5, while KL Chess Kids Team B, led by FM Nouri Hamed and NM Noel dela Cruz, trounced MPSFF of IM Mas Hafizulhelmi and Mohd, Faiz Razali, 3-1.
Meanwhile, Sol Marfori Philippines Team A composed of GM elect Ronald Dableo, FM Leonardo Carlos, FM Christopher Castellano and Ivan Gil Biag, blasted Invicibles of NM Nicolas Chan, Marcus Chan, Lim Zhuo-Ren and Evan Timothy Capel, 4-0, to gain a share of fourth with nine points.