Wesley keeps solo lead, outwits Donguines

Dubai Open champion GM Wesley So regained his winning ways as he humbled Moscow Olympiad veteran FM Fernie Donguines to remain at the helm in the sixth round of the Battle of GMs chess championship at the City State Hotel in Manila yesterday.

After halving the point with GM Eugene Torre and IM Hamed Nouri Monday, So outwitted the veteran Donguines in the Sicilian encounter, pulling off a 48-move win to hike his output to five points halfway through the 11-round tournament.

With the win, the 14-year old high school student at St. Francis College (Bacoor), remained in the solo lead he held after halving the point with Nouri in the fifth round of the tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) and supported by Pagcor and City State Hotel.

Half-a-point behind So are Torre and IM John Paul Gomez with the 56-year-old Torre, who halved the point with Rolando Nolte in the fifth round, beating GM Bong Villamayor in 40 moves of a Pirc.

Gomez, who shared the lead with So in the fourth round, bounced back from a fifth-round setback to Donguines by whipping Singapore-based GM-candidate Julio Catalino Sadorra in 65 moves of Trompovsky.

IM Richard Bitoon toppled GM Jayson Gonzales in 32 moves of the French to grab solo fourth with four points.

GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. also moved up in the 12-player field by beating Bitoon in 30 moves of the Sicilian in the fifth round and drawing with NM Oliver Barbos in the sixth for 3.5 points.

Nolte outplayed Nouri in 34 moves of a French to move into solo seventh with three points.

In women’s play, Shercila Cua and Rulp Ylem Jose drew their match in 31 moves of the Queen’s Pawn to keep a share of the lead with Catherine Perena with four points.

Perena also halved the point with Cheradee Chardine Camacho in 48 moves of the Slav.

In other matches, Cristy Lamiel Bernales outplayed Jenny Palom in 38 moves of the Modern Defense; Beverly Mendoza stopped Sherily Cua in 23 moves of the Franco Indian and Enerose Magno bested Kim Cunanan in 38 moves of the English.