MANILA, Philippines - GM Oliver Barbosa defeated Chinese Yu Ruiyuan to move up to joint third but GM John Paul Gomez bowed to Chinese GM Yu Yangyi in the third round of the 11th Asian Continental Individual Chess Championships in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Tuesday.
The win hiked Barbosa’s total to 2.5 points, half-a-point behind Yu and IM Liu Qingnan of China, who beat IM Bayarsaikhan Gundavaa of Mongolia, to share the lead with three points.
Others with 2.5 points are GMs Ding Liren and Zhao Jun, GM Susanto Megaranto and FM Anjas Novita of Indonesia, GM Sethuraman SP of India and IM Nguyen Van Huy of Vietnam.
GM Mark Paragua downed IM Ton That Nhu Tung of Vietnam while IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia dismantled Ferdiman Tersiman of Indonesia to bounce back into contention.
GM Wesley So was held to a third straight draw, this time against IM Lou Yiping of China while GM Darwin Laylo also split the point with GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son of Vietnam.
GM Eugene Torre drew with FM Rudin Hamdani of Indonesia.
The event serves as a qualifier for this year’s World Cup.