Dimakiling, 2 others pace chess elims

Oliver Dimakiling trampled Barlo Nadera in the ninth round to force a three-way tie for the lead in the Asian Games chess qualifying tournament at the SM Mall of Asia yesterday.

The victory enabled Dimakiling to join fellow IMs Darwin Laylo and Richard Bitoon in the lead with 7.5 points heading into the final two rounds of the 11-round Swiss system tournament held to determine the country’s three representatives to the Doha Asian Games set Dec. 1-15.

Laylo held Nelson Mariano II, the lone GM in the fold, to a draw while Bitoon split the point with NM Rolando Nolte to remain in the hunt.

Five players, led by Mariano and Asian Zonal champion Ronald Dableo, shared fourth to eighth places with seven points. Dableo whipped NM Arlan Cabe.

Two slots are being disputed in the men’s side while a lone berth is at stake in women’s play for the country’s representatives to the quadrennial games.

GMs Eugene Torre, Joey Antonio and Mark Paragua decided to skip the qualifiers.

IM Ronald Bancod trounced NM Emmanuel Senador while NM Roland Joseph Perez humbled NM Mirabeau Maga to join Mariano, Dableo and Nolte.

In women’s play, WNM Aices Salvador outclassed Philip Medina to gain a share of the lead with Jedara Docena and WNM Enerose Magno with 5.5 points. Docena beat Rommel Wong while Magno won by forfeiture over Dino Ballecer.

Former national champion Christine Rose Mariano and WIM Beverly Mendoza lost to Ildefonso Mantupar Jr. and Randy Balitaon, respectively, and dropped out of the lead.