Asian chess Zonal Wesley launches bid with 28-move win

MANILA, Philippines - GM Wesley So trampled Rustum Tolentino in 28 moves in the opener of the Asian Zone 3.3 Chess Championship late Tuesday but drew a tough second round match with GM Eugene Torre at the Tagaytay International Convention Center in Tagaytay.

The young but talented So used his experience to outplay Tolentino in the middlegame of their Queen’s Pawn encounter, consolidating his major pieces to gain key squares and the initiative en route to victory.

“I had a good coordination of my major pieces (queen, rook and knight) that’s why I was able to gain control despite having equal number of pieces and pawns,” said So, the top seeded bet in the event which stakes two slots in this year’s World Chess Cup.

But So, who reached the fourth of the World Cup in 2009, remained wary of his chances against the veteran Torre, who scored a walkover win over NM Michael Gotel.

“I have a tough second round game (against Torre). Our last game ended in a draw,” said So.

Torre also expects a tough outing against the young Filipino whiz.

“I’ll just try my best against So. What’s important is that Filipinos would win the two World Cup slots,” said Torre, a veteran of the Candidates’ Match.

Tagaytay City Mayor Bambol Tolentino Jr., also the secretary general of the organizing National Chess Federation of the Philippines headed by chairman/president Butch Pichay, predicts a slam-bang duel between So and Torre.

“This is a good match and we expect an explosive duel,” said Tolentino.

Other featured matches pit Vietnamese GM and No. 2 Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son against US-based GM Banjo Barcenilla and FM Haridas Pascua versus defending champion GM Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia.

Barcenilla defeated NM Rolando Andador in 53 moves of Slav defense while Nguyen beat FM Rudin Hamdani of Indonesia in 49 moves of French defense.

Pascua toppled Sarangani after 36 moves of Pirc defense while Megaranto brought down FM Tran Tuan Minh of Vietnam after 37 moves of Queens Indian defense.

GMs Joey Antonio, Mark Paragua and Darwin Laylo also hurdled their respective opening round assignments with the former 12-time National Open Antonio beating IM-elect Reggie Olay in 41 moves of Sicilian-Alapin.

Paragua, coming off a victory in the recent PSC Chess Cup, crushed Manny Yu after 44 moves of Sicilian defense while Laylo thwarted FM Sumiya Bilguuun of Mongolia after 35 moves of Slav defense.

In the distaff side, WIM Catherine Perena, WFMs Rulp Ylem Jose and Mary Antoinette San Diego, Bernadette Galas and Mary Grace Tambasen lost their respective first round matches.