3 GMs show way in Philippine International chess

MANILA, Philippines - Grandmasters Anton Demchenko and Shomoev Anton of Russia and Narayanan Sunilduth Layna of India racked up two straight victories to force a three-way tie in the 2015 Philippine International Chess Championship at the Subic Peninsular Hotel in SBMA, Olongapo City yesterday.

The fifth-ranked Demchenko trounced Indian GM Chakkravarthy Deepan, the No. 9 Anton turned back GM Eugene Torre and Layna upset fourth seed Chinese GM Shanglei Lu.

Top seed GM Abijheet Gupta, also of India, crushed Filipino IM Haridas Pascua, drew with Chinese No. 10 IM Chen Lin for joint second with No. 2 GM Alexander Zupov, GM Mikhail Mozharov, Lin, No. 6 GM Vladimir Belous, IM Abhimanyu Puranik, GM Vitaly Sivuk, GM Boris Savchenko and Filipino GMs Darwin Laylo and Joey Antonio.

Laylo, who defeated WIM Janelle Mae Frayna in the first round, halved the point with Savchenko, while Antonio, who beat WIM Catherine Perena-Secopito in the opener, drew with Mozharov, to stay in early contention in the tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Puregold, Asia United Bank, Burlington Socks and Marc Venture.

In the Challenger Division featuring local participants, WFM Shania Mae Mendoza, Alfredo Rapanot, John Marvin Miciano, Samson Lim Jr., Lennon Hart Salgados, Kevin Mirano, Ferdinand Avales and Jeth Romy Morado, Prince Ralph Pidor, Jan Francis Mirano and Paul Robert Evangelista all hurdled their respective assignments.