Paragua joins list of chess casualties

SAN FERNANDO CITY, LA UNION — National Master Rolando Nolte stunned FIDE Master Fernie Donguines to gain a share of the lead with International Master Barlo Nadera even as untitled Ferdinand Leysa dealt GM-candidate Mark Paragua his second straight setback in the seventh round of the third La Union Open Chess Championships at the Diego Silang Hall of La Union Provincial Capitol here yesterday.

The Baguio-based Nolte, ranked 15th here, marshalled his white pieces with clockwork precision and completed a 33-move win over the 10th seeded Donguines in their Modern Defense game.

The victory hiked Nolte’s output to six points, the same score posted by Nadera who agreed to halve the point with third ranked IM Richard Bitoon after 15 moves of a French game.

But it was Leysa of General Santos City who produced the worthiest win with a stunning 45-move victory over the heavily-favored Paragua, who came into the round reeling from a sixth round loss to Donguines.

Leysa thus joined the 5.5 pointer-group which includes Bitoon, NMs Yves Ranola, Ronald Llavanes and Darwin Laylo and unfancied Jerome Balico.

Ranola and Llavanes split the point after 67 moves of Modern Defense; Laylo prevailed over Rustum Tolentino after 64 moves of an English Opening; while Balico thumped NM Mirabeau Maga after 27 moves of another Modern Defense game.

Meanwhile, top seed GM Eugene Torre beat Edmundo Gatus in 53 moves of an English Opening to notch his fifth point. The other five pointers were Roland Salvador, Efren Bagamasbad, Jesse Noel Sales, Alex Milagrosa, Jake dela Cruz, Emmanuel Senador, Jermel Abordo, Rustum Tolentino and Donguines.