GM Gomez extends winning run in SEAG

FILIPINO GM John Paul Gomez defeated GM ZawWin Lay of Myanmar last Monday to extend his unbeaten run in the sixth round of the 26th Southeast Asian Games blindfold chess competition in Palembang, Indonesia.

Gomez now has 5.0 points in six outings to stay in the hunt for the coveted gold medal. Earlier, the Binan, Laguna pride beat IM Myo Naing of Myanmar in the fifth round.

Meanwhile, GM Le Quang Liem of Vietnam scored back-to back wins against IM Jimmy Liew of Malaysia and IM Tirta Chandra Purnama of Indonesia to climb to solo 2nd place with 4.5 points, half a point ahead of fourth round tormentor Filipino GM Darwin Laylo who has  4.0 points for solo 3rd place.

In yesterday’s seventh round, Gomez faces Le while Laylo meets GM Anh Dung of Vietnam in the 10-player, single round-robin event.

Meanwhile, in the Mixed pair competition, the Filipino duo of GM Oliver Barbosa and WIM Catherine Perena lost to the Vietnamese tandem of GM Dao Thien Hai and WGM Nguyen Thi Thanh An.  /Correspondent Marlon Bernardino