So draws 4th round game with Torre at Battle of GMs

MANILA, Philippines - Wesley So, the world's youngest grandmaster, agreed to a draw against Asia's first GM Eugene Torre in the fourth round of the 2008 Battle of GMs chess championship on Monday at the City State Hotel in Ermita, Manila. The match between So, playing white, and Torre ended after 38 moves of a Ruy Lopez Opening. So and Torre had a queen and four pawns each when they decided to split the point. "I couldn't force the game, especially since my opponent is also a GM," So said in Filipino in a statement provided by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) on Monday. So kept his spot at the top of the standings with 3.5 points after four rounds on three wins and a draw. But now So shares the lead with erstwhile co-leader and three-time national junior champion John Paul Gomez. Gomez defeated national master Oliver Barbosa in 33 moves of a French Defense to regain a share of the lead with So. Gomez, who's from Binan, Laguna, also had three wins and one draw. Torre went up to a two-way tie for third to fourth places with international master Richard Bitoon with three points gained after two wins and two draws. Bitoon defeated GM-candidate Julio Catalino Sadorra in 41 moves of a French Defense to join Torre in the rankings. Alone in fifth place is FIDE master Fernie Donguines. Donguines, a silver medalist in the 1994 Moscow Olympiad, outwitted NM Hamed Nouri in 37 moves of a Sicilian Defense to raise his score to 2.5 points on two wins, one draw, and one loss. GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. halved the point with comebacking GM Buenaventura "Bong" Villamayor to stay in contention for the P200,000 top prize with two points on one win, two draws, and one loss. NM Rolando Nolte surprised GM Jayson Gonzales in 39 moves of a French Defense to join Sadorra and Nouri with 1.5 points. In the women's division, WNM Catherine Perena downed WNM Jedara Docena in 41 moves of the Queen's Gambit and WNM Ylen Jose defeated WNM Cristy Lamiel Bernales in 39 moves of the Queen's Indian to earn a spot for the lead with WNM Shercila Cua with 3.5 points out of a possible four. Cua, a member of the famed V. Luna Chess Club, halved the point with WNM Enerose Magno in 46 moves of a Slav Defense. Cua's younger sister, Sherily, drew with WNM Aices Salvador to grab solo fourth place with three points. Salvador and Bernales share fifth to sixth places with two points. - GMANews.TV