Gonzales pulls away by full point, topples Wynn

SUBIC -  Filipino GM-elect Jayson Gonzales upended upset-conscious IM Zaw Htun Wynn of Myanmar to move ahead by a full point in the all-important seventh round in the Subic Open international championship at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center here late Wednesday.

Gonzales forced Wynn to resign after 56 moves of the Irregular opening.

The win, coupled with the quick, 19-move Sicilian draw between top seed GM Yuriy Kuzubov of Ukraine and GM Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia on the second board, enabled Gonzales to widen his lead to a full point going into the final two rounds of the $30,000 tournament.

Gonzales, who nailed his third and final GM norm during the Indonesian Open in Tarakan, Indonesia early this year, will go for the title and the top prize of US$5,000 when he takes on Kuzubov in the eighth and penultimate round late Thursday.

Kuzubov, the 18-year-old former chess prodigy from the former Russian republic, is one of eight players with five points following the draw with Megaranto.

Joining Kuzubov and Megaranto are Wynn and Filipino GMs Wesley So, Eugene Torre and Buenaventura “Bong” Villamayor, Oliver Barbosa and surprise package Rolando Andador.

So, who blew a chance to move into a tie for the lead following a heart-breaking setback to Wynn in the sixth round, rebounded into contention  by blasting compatriot IM Richard Bitoon in 53 moves of the Sicilian.

Torre, still trying to find the form that made him the country’s most-feared player for almost three decades, whipped IM Tirto of Indonesia in 47 moves of the Nimzo Indian to keep his own hopes alive.

Villamayor, who finished in a five-way tie for first in the recent Philippine Open, crushed another Filipino hopeful, NM Emmanuel Senador.

Barbosa downed another Burmese bet, IM Kyaw Soe Kyaw, while Andador toppled GM-candidate Julio Catalino Sadorra.

Rolando Nolte dumped Anjas Novita of Indonesia to move into a nine-way tie for 10th to 18th places with 4.5 points.

Three other Filipinos held their ground against their higher-rated rivals to keep their hopes alive.

 John Paul Gomez drew with IM Hafizulhelmi Mas of Malaysia, Dino Ballecer split the point with IM Oo Kyaw Nay of Maynmar and untitled Reggie Olay halved the point with Im Sadikn Irwanto of Indoensia to join the company of Nolte and five other foreign bets.

Also winning their matches were Rustum Tolentino, who trounced Shen Siyuan of China; Jayson Salubre, who bested Tersiman Ferdiman of indonesia;

Hamed Nouri, who repulsed Karl Victor Ochoa; FM Adrian Pacis, who nipped Haridas Pascua; and Jonathan Tan, who surprised Alex Milagrosa. 

There were also sad faces at the end of another long day of chess.

GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. and IM Chito Garma, two of the familiar faces in the local chess scene, failed to gain any headway as they settled for a draw against each other and remained two full points behind with only four points.

Veteran IM Ronald Bancod also blew his chance to improve his position when he lost to his lower-rated female rival Xu Tong of China.

Jan Emmanuel Garcia also ended up on the losing end of his match against FM Awam Wahono of Indonesia.

Another loser was Kimberly Jane Cunanan, who fell to Li Panru of China.

At stake in the nine-round tournament, which serves as the second of the two-part chess extravaganza put up by the NCFP in cooperation with the Department of Tourism and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, is a guaranteed cash prize of US$30,000.

The champion will pocket the lion’s share of US$5,000.

Cash prizes will also be given up to the 32nd placers, according to tournament director Willie Abalos.