Sadorra trounces Nadera, keeps lead share

MANILA, Philippines - US-based Filipino GM Julio Catalino Sadorra cut short countryman IM Barlo Nadera’s surge to remain tied in the lead with Russian GM Ivan Popov and Georgian GM Levan Pantsulaia after three rounds of the PSC-Puregold International Chess Challenge at Celebrity Sports Plaza in Quezon City yesterday.

The 28-year-old Sadorra, now the country’s top player following the transfer of GM Wesley So to the US Chess Federation, earlier beat Paulo James Florendo and IM Oliver Dimakiling then outplayed Nadera to hike his total to three points, the same output put in by the top-seeded Popov and Pantsulaia, winner of last week’s Philippine International Chess Championship.

Popov, with a 2622 rating, subdued Filipino GM John Paul Gomez while Pantsulaia (2583) bested another Filipino GM Darwin Laylo to stay at the helm in the $30,000 tournament sponsored by the Philippine Sports Commission and Puregold.

Just hours after pulling off a shocker over Russian GM Anton Demchenko, IM Haridas Pascua held Armenian GM Avetik Grigoryan to a draw after 37 moves of a Benoni Defense. They both improved to 2.5 points.

The second-seeded Demchenko rebounded with a victory over Noel Dela Cruz to join 13 others in the two-pointer group in the Open division.

They include Paulo Bersamina, Gomez, fifth placer in the Phl International Championship, Laylo, Nadera, Dimakiling, Georgian GM Merab Gagunashvili, IM Rolando Nolte, IM Emmanuel Senador, Indian IM Narayanan Sunilduth Lyna, GM Richard Bitoon, David Elorta, GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. and Alcon John Datu.

Bersamina, 16, drew with Antonio, Barbosa drew with Raymond Salcedo, Elorta beat Kim Steven Yap, Bitoon tamed Emmanuel Emperado, Dimakiling defeated Fide Master Mari Joseph Torqueza, Senador repulsed Woman IM Bernadette Galas, and Datu thwarted Onofre Espiritu. Nolte tripped Woman FM Shania Mae Mendoza while Gagunashvili and Sunilduth Lyna drew their match.

At 1.5 points are Mozharov, GM Oliver Barbosa, GM Jayson Gonzales, executive director of the organizing National Chess Federation of the Philippines, and IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia.

Barbosa drew with Raymond Salcedo and so did Gonzales with IM Richilieu Salcedo while Garcia hurdled WIM Janelle Mae Frayna.

The fourth round of the tournament, supported by Asia United Bank, Burlington, Celebrity Sports Plaza, Microtel and Harold’s Hotel, was being played at presstime.

Key matches pit Sadorra against Popov, Grigoryan against Pantsulaia and Pascua against Gomez.