PHL woodpushers book opening day wins in Chess Olympiad

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines smashed Afghanistan, 3.5-.5, in the men's division and Palau, 4-0, in the women's side to jumpstart its bid in the 41st World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway Saturday night.

Grandmasters Julio Catalino Sadorra, John Paul Gomez and Eugene Torre over FIDE Masters Mahbuboollah Kooshani and Zaherudden Asefi and  Hamidullah Saraery, respectively, while newly-minted International Master Paulo Bersamina couldn't cash in on a positional advantage and settled for a draw with Zabiullah Ahmadi.

Sadorra, a standout at University of Texas in Dallas, made a big impression in his Olympic debut by hacking out a 32-move of an English Opening where he made good use of a slight positional edge by winning a pawn and the exchange and was two moves away from mating Kooshani before the latter resigned.

Gomez, for his part, employed the Benko Gambit to send Asefi off-balanced all game and had an overwhelming material advantage when Asefi finally gave up in the 49th move.

Torre took the easiest path and won by default over Sarwary.

The 63-year-old Torre thus made a historic 22nd Olympiad appearance, the most by any other player in the world.

As for Bersamina, he couldn't get anything from his queenside attack as Ahmadi managed to draw despite the former's pawn edge and ended up with a draw on his very first Olympiad stint.

The women's squad was more entertaining as Cheradine Camacho, Janelle Mae Frayna and Catherine Perena all won via checkmate on boards one, two and four against Angelica Parrado, Baby Edna Mission and Destiny Sisior, respectively.

Jan Jodilyn Fronda won via default against Gladys Anne Paloma on third board.

The Phl will thus take on Bosnia Herzegovina, which blanked Nepal, 4-0, in the men's side and International Chess Committee of the Deaf, a 3.5-.5 winner over Ethiopia, in the second round set late last night.

The Filipinos are playing with Wesley So, who is switching allegiance and will be one of the coaches of the Americans, and Oliver Barbosa, who didn't make it to Tromso because of visa delays.