Chess Olympiad: Sadorra, Gomez lead Philippines past South Africa

BUDAPEST, Hungary — The Philippines rode on victories by Grandmasters Julio Catalino Sadorra and John Paul Gomez as it flattened South Africa, 3-1, in the eighth round Thursday to keep its medal bid alive in the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad at the BOK Sports Hall here.

Sadorra went on an attacking rampage early in overwhelming International Master Jan Karsten in 36 moves of a Queen’s Pawn game at board one while Gomez dismantled FIDE Master Banele Mhango’s Jaenisch Variation of the Ruy Lopez in 34 moves at board three that sealed the deal.

IMs Pau Bersamina and Jan Emmanuel Garcia went for the win but ended up halving the point with FM Caleb Levi Levitan and IM Daniel Cawdery at boards two and four, respectively, as the Filipinos jumped into a big group in the top 30 with 10 match points apiece.

It was a result that soothed the trauma of a pair of defeats by the Filipinos, whose participation are being financed by the Philippine Sports Commission and backed by NCFP head Butch Pichay, to the Armenians, 2.5-1.5, and the Croats, 3.5-.5, that kicked them out of a share of seventh spot.

“We will need all the prayers and encouragement to keep going,” said Sadorra, a University of Texas in Dallas coach.

Sadorra will have a true need for it as he is expected to face another super GM in A. R. Saleh Salem when the country tackles the United Arab Emirates in the ninth round of this 11-round tilt.

Meanwhile, the Filipinas blew their winning chances against the 16th-seeded Turks in a stinging 2.5-1.5 setback that sent the former sprawling straight into a big pack at No. 30 with 10 points.

Shania Mae Mendoza gave it all she got before succumbing to Ekaterina Atalik in a long 100-move defeat of a Slav duel at board one while Janelle Mae Frayna, Ruelle Canino and Bernadette Galas drew with Betul Cemre Yildiz Kadioglu, Gulaney Aydin and Hayale Isgenderova, respectively, in the lower boards.

They clash with the 22nd seed Romanians next.

The country had all the chances to either upset Turkey or escape with a draw after Frayna and Canino found ways to gain positional advantages.

But both lost their way with Frayna getting greedy at a pawn edge and Canino going aggressive to passive late that allowed their rival to escape with standoffs.

Same with Mendoza, who went on to having to fight out of a losing to getting a ray of sunshine and drawing chances that she eventually threw away in the end with a hasty queenside pawn roll.