China's Li gives RP's So 2nd loss at Philippine Open

MANILA, Philippines - Grandmaster Li Chao of China gave GM Wesley So his second defeat in three days and took a share of the lead with GM Le Quang Liem of Vietnam in the eighth round of the Philippine Open chess championship at the Subic Exhibition and Convention Center in Subic on Monday. Li, who is best remembered by local fans for winning the second President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Cup last year, outmaneuvered So in 30 moves of a Sicilian Defense. Li thus moved into a tie for the lead with Le, who downed erstwhile pacesetter Weiqi Zhou of China, according to a statement issued by the organizing National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP). Li is the second Chinese player to triumph over over So in the tournament. Zhou downed So in the fifth round. GMs Rogelio Antonio Jr. and Buenaventura "Bong" Villamayor and NM Rolando Nolte kept Filipinos in contention in the tournament. Antonio, Villamayor, and Nolte all accumulated 5.5 points, a full point behind Li and Le with still three rounds in this 76-player tournament which attracted 11 GMs, 17 IMs, and three FMs. Antonio, dislodged by So as the country's highest-ranked player in the recent FIDE list for April, outwitted compatriot IM Barlo Nadera. Villamayor, who gave up his job as a chess instructor in Singapore to resume his playing career, defeated Xiu Deshun of China, while Nolte overwhelmed Yang Kaiqi of China. Tied with Antonio, Vilamayor and Nolte with 5.5 points are top seed GM Ehsan Ghaem Maghami of Iran, GM Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia, GM Nguyen Anh Dun of Vietnam, GM Morteza Mahjoob of Iran, and IM Sadikin Irwanto of Indonesia. So went down into a a tie for 13th to 21st spots with only five points. IM Julio Catalino Sadorra defeated WGM Zhang Jilin ofChina, David Welorta downed Yu Lie of China, Reggie Olay outclassed FM Lin Naing Kyaw of Mynamar, and Arlan Cabe disposed of Xu Tong of China in other notable win by Filipinos. Suffering defeats were IM Richard Bitoon, who bowed to GM Morteza Mahjoob of Iran; Jan Emmanuel Garcia, who lost to IM Zaw Htun Wynn of Myanmar, Emmanuel Senador, who fell to Wang Yunguo of China; Nelson Villanueva, who succumbed to IM Danny Juswanto of Indonesia, and Roderick Naca, who bowed to IM Tirta Purnama of Indonesia. In other eighth-round matches, Hamed Nouri outplayed Cristy Berlanes, Rolando Andador outclassed Karl Victor Ochoa, Efewn Bagamasbad downed Aices Salvador, FM Adrian Pacis defeated Catherine Perena, and Victor Lluch outclassed IM Chito Garma. Standings after eight rounds 6.5 points C. Li (China), Q.L. Le (Vietnam) 6 points W. Zhou (China), D. Liu (Indonesia) 5.5 points R. Antonio (RP), B. Villamayor, R. Nolte , E. Maghami (Iran), S. Megaranto (Indonesia), A.D. Nguyen (Vietnam), M. Mahjoob (Iran), S. Irwanto (Indonesia) 5 points W. So (RP), R. Bitoon (RP), J. Sadorra (RP), J,. Gomez (RP), D. Elorta (RP), Z.H. Wynn (Myanmar), D.T. Hai (Vietnam), L. Wang (China), X. Zhang (China)

- GMANews.TV