MANILA, Philippines — Henry Lopez smashed Vladyslav Pokotaiev of Ukraine while Darry Bernardo drew with top seed and former world champion Marcin Tazbir of Poland to stay in title contention after seven rounds of the fourth FIDE World Championship for People with Disabilities.
Lopez needed just 28 moves to dismantle Pokotaiev’s Slav Defense while Bernardo fought Tazbir to a 66-move standoff of a Sicilian duel to stay in a group at ninth place with 5.5 points, just a point behind co-leaders Stanislav Babarykin of Russia and Sargis Sargissyan of Armenia with two rounds to go.
Sander Severino dumped Georges Vasquez of France and Jasper Rom waylaid Christopher Leonel Garzon Zapatanga of Ecuador to stay on course for a top 10 finish with five points apiece.
The Filipinos also remained in the hunt for a podium finish in the team event as they are currently running third, thanks to the combined scores of Lopez, Bernardo, Severino and Rom of 21 points.
Russia and Poland currently lead the way with 23 points each.
Darry Bernardo was battling David Fernandez Lago of Spain; Lopez against Alexander Mulenko of Russia; Severino versus Krishna Karthik Venkata of India and Rom against Szymon Kasperczyk of Poland in the eighth and penultimate round at press time.