Georgia GM stays at helm in Phl Int’l chess

MANILA, Philippines - Levan Pantsulaia drew with fellow Georgian GM Merab Gagushnavili and stayed on top as Filipino GM John Paul Gomez fell to Armenian GM Avetik Grigoryan in the sixth round of the Philippine International Chess Championship at Celebrity Sports Complex in Quezon City Tuesday night.

With five points, Pantsulaia kept a half-point lead over Gagushnavili, Russian GMs Mikhail Mozharov and Anton Demchenko and Grigoryan, who foiled Gomez’s bid for a follow-up to his upset win over top seed Russian GM Ivan Popov in the previous round.

Mozharov and Demchenko also opted to draw their match, allowing Grigoryan to gain ground in the tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission and Puregold.

With his first loss, Gomez was stalled at four points in a tie with Popov, Indian IM Narayanan Sunilduth Lyna and compatriots GMs Oliver Barbosa, Rogelio Antonio Jr. and Richard Bitoon.

Popov bounced back by beating GM Darwin Laylo while Lyna disposed of IM Kim Steven Yap.

Fresh off a long US campaign, Barbosa subdued Fide Master Sander Severino, Antonio thwarted FM Randy Segarra, while Bitoon trounced US-based GM Julio Catalino Sadorra, who bowed out of contention with three points.

It was Bitoon’s third straight win after a poor start in the tournament supported by Asia United Bank, Burlington, Microtel and Harold’s Hotel.

GM Eugene Torre trounced IM Ronald Bancod to improve to 3.5 points in the company of Laylo and IM Haridas Pascua.