1st GMA Cup Update

As of November 21, 2006, Courtesy of NCFP Official Website.


GMA Cup: So Draws With Chinese Rivals; Onischuk, Akobian Stay Ahead
Standings after five rounds: 1-2 A. Onischuk (USA), V. Akobian (USA) 4.5 points; 3-9 Z. Pengxiang (China), W. Rui (China), Z. Zhong (China), V. Belov (Russia), O. Barbosa (RP), R. Dableo (RP), D. Laylo (RP) 4; 10-20 W. So (RP), B. Villamayor (RP), W. Zhou (China), T. Vakhidov (Uzbekistan), Y. Ranola (RP), S. Severino (RP), N. Hua (China), M. Paragua (RP), R. Bitoon (RP), R. Nolte (RP), V. Mikhalevski (Israel) 3.5. 21-32 E. Torre (RP), R. Antonio (RP), C. Garma (RP), B. Nadera (RP), O. Dimakiling (RP), J. Gonzales (RP), E. Senador (RP), R. Bancod (RP), J. Sadorra (RP), R. Legaspi (RP), R. Nava (RP), H. Nouri (RP) 3.

THE Philippines’ Wesley So managed to draw his matches against two highly-rated Chinese rivals to stay in the hunt for the elusive GM norm, even as top seed GM Alexander Onischuk and Varuzhan Akobian of the United States kept their frontrunning positions after the fifth round of the first Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Cup International Open and Chess Challenge at the Duty Free Fiesta Mall in Paraanque City.

So, who is seeking his second GM norm in as many weeks, battled Turin Olympiad veteran and third seed GM Nia Hua of China to a draw in 44 moves of the Sicilian in the fourth round held earlier in the day then came back to split the point with Weiqi Zhou of China in 33 moves of the French to keep his hopes alive in this prestigious nine-round tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) in cooperation with Duty Free Philippines.

So, a 13-year old freshman student of St. Francis of Assisi-Bacoor, who earned his first GM norm in Bad Wiessee, Germany only last week, now has two wins and three draws for 3.5 points, a full point behind Onischuk and Akobian with still four rounds remaining.

Onischuk outduelled GM Vladimir Belov of Russia in 30 moves of the Gruendfeld while Akobian subdued GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. in 34 moves of the Benoni in a pair of crucial fourth-round victories.

Onischuk and Akobian, who both played for the United States in the last World Chess Olympiad in Turin, Italy, then agreed to a draw in 27 moves of the Nimzo-Indian Defense in their fifth-round encounter to share the lead with 4.5 points.

Sharing the limelight were Asian Games-bound IMs Ronald Dableo and Darwin Laylo and former national junior champion Oliver Barbosa, who pulled off stunning upset victories over their higher-rated opponents late in the day.

The 27-year odl Dableo followed up his methodical fourth-round triumph over Anam Khairul of Indonesia with a dramatic upset win over Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre in 40 moves of the Reti.
Laylo, the 26-year old campaigner from Batangas, outlasted NM Emmanuel Senador in 63 moves of the Reti in the fourth round and then whipped Im Barlo Nadera in 63 moves of the Slav the following round.

And Barbosa, the 20-year old pride of Taytay, Rizal, dealt a second straight setback to Antonio in only 30 moves of the Sicilian. He also won over NM Rustum Tolentino in 36 moves of the English in the fourth round.

The back-to-back victories by the three Filipino youngsters enabled them to join second seed GM Zhang Pengxiang of China and three other foreign players in third to ninth places with four points. Pengxiang, ranked fourth overall in China with an ELO rating of 2636, drew with IM Victor Mikhalevski of Israel in the fourth round and compatriot IM Wang Rui of China in only six moves of the Queen’s Gambit.

Belov bounced back from the fourth-round setback to Onischuk with a hard-earned victory over iM Chito Garma in 55 moevs of the French, No. 4 GM Zhang Zhong of China downed Mikhalevski and Rui outclassed fellow IM Richard Bitoon in the fourth round before drawing with Pengxiang in the next round.

Also making his presence felt was NM Rolando Nolte, who halved the point with GM Mark Paragua in the fourth round and surprised GM Nelson Mariano II in the fifth round to boost his socre to 3.5 points.

Paragua also improved to 3.5 points by beating former junior champion John Paul Gomez in the fifth round late in the day.

Para Games gold medalist Sander Severino also continued his surprising run, beating NM
Petronio Roca in the fourth orudn and drawing with GM Buenaventura “Bong” Vilamayor in the fifth round for 3.5 points out of a possible five.

WFM Sherrie Joy Lomibao drew with Ramon Manon-og to hike her score to two points, the same total of WIM Beverly Mendoza and Catherine Perena and Victoria Chan of Singapore.

Mendoza bowed to IM Ronald Bancod, while Perena succumbed to IM Jayson Gonzales.

Chan won over Christian Anthony Flores.

Other fifth-round winners were Bitoon, who demolished Merben Roque; Roca, who waylaid Boris Diez; IM Oliver Dimakiling, who crushed NM Rustum Tolentino; FM Julio Sadorra, who subdued Erwin Carag; FM Roderick Nava, who surprised Jenny Mayor; NM Adrian Pacis, who trounced Carl Victor Ochoa; Alfrdo Paz, who dumped Dandel Fernandez; Jan Emmanuel Garcia, who toppled Rodolfo Panopio Jr.; Rolando Yutuc, who nipped Leo Ausan; Richard de la Cruz, who overpowered Kamil Rzoska; and Robert Suelo, who overwhelmed Alex Dimaro.
At stake are cash prizes and trophies with the champion getting the lion’s share of US $6,000 and the prestigious GMA Cup. The runner-up and thre third placer will receive US 44,000 and US $3,000, respectively.

The fourth to 15 th placers will also get cash prizes, as well as the top three female and top three junior players.

Selected games of the GMA Cup Open and Chess Challenge can be viewed at the NCFP website at http://www.ncfphilippines.org/