Draws secure Wesley 2nd straight title

MANILA, Philippines - GM Wesley So went for draws against GM-candidates Julio Catalino Sadorra and Richard Bitoon then halved the point with fellow GM Joey Antonio to clinch the Phoenix Petroleum-Dapitan City “Battle of GMs” chess championship for the second straight year at the Dapitan City Resort Hotel in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte.

So and Antonio split the point after 31 moves of a Sicilian yesterday in their sixth round match that was ordered replayed last week as the 15-year-old whiz captured the crown worth P200,000 with a 16-point total for a three-point lead over Antonio with one round left in the tournament.

The high school student from St. Francis-Cavite halved the point with Sadorra in 36 moves of the French and needed only 30 moves to draw with Bitoon in their Sicilian Pelican encounter.

Antonio’s draw with So gave him a 13-point aggregate for solo second while Torre, who ruled the third President Arroyo Cup late last year, scored back-to-back victories for third with 12 points.

Torre outduelled fellow GM Bong Villamayor in 39 moves of the London Opening in the ninth round then outclassed GM John Paul Gomez in 46 moves of the Bogo-Indian in the 10th.

Antonio trounced Gomez in 41 moves of the Benoni but drew with GM Mark Paragua in 31 moves of the Sicilian. GM Darwin Laylo drew with IM Rolando Nolte in 30 moves of the Center Counter and subdued GM Jayson Gonzales in 33 moves of the Slav to climb to solo fourth place with 11.5 points.

Laylo drew with IM Rolando Nolte in 30 moves of the Center Counter and subdued GM Jayson Gonzales in 33 moves of the Slav to climb to solo fourth place with 11.5 points.

Sadorra drew his matches against So and IM Ronald Dableo to join Gomez at 11 points.

Paragua whipped IM Ronald Dableo in 32 moves of the Queen’s Gambit Accepted to join Bitoon with 10 points.

In the women’s division, WFM Shercila Cua and WIM Beverly Mendoza hurdled their respective ninth-round opponents and drew against each other in the following round to keep their 1-2 positions with 15 and 14.5 points, respectively.

Cua bested Rida Young in 32 moves of the King’s Indian while Mendoza outlasted Kimberly Cunanan in 78 moves of the Dutch.

Cua and Mendoza then halved the point in 36 moves of the French.

Cua’s younger sister, Sherily, halved the point with Christy Lamiel Bernales (46 moves, Queen’s Indian) and Daisy Rivera (43, Budapest) to remain in third place with 13 points.