So half a point behind Gomez

MANILA, Philippines - Defending champion Wesley So outplayed IM Richard Bitoon in just 24 moves to close in on fellow GM John Paul Gomez in the ninth round of the Phoenix Petroleum “Battle of GMs” national chess championships at the Character Hotel in Tagaytay yesterday.

The top-seeded So showed his deep understanding of the Sicilian defense and crushed Bitoon to hike his output to 6.5 points, half-a-point behind Gomez with two rounds left in the 11-round tournament.

The 16-year-old high school graduate from St. Francis College-Cavite, sacrificed a knight on the 21st and forced the white-playing Bitoon to resign three moves later with a relentless kingside attack that netted him white’s queen.

Gomez was held to a pair of draws by GM Rogelio Antonio in 23 moves of the Caro-Kann in the eighth round and IM Rolando Nolte in 57 moves of the Slav in the ninth.

Antonio followed up his eight-round draw with Gomez with a victory over FM Jan Emmanuel Garcia in 31 moves of the Pirc to move up with six points.

But Gomez and Antonio still have to take a bye in the 11-round tournament.