GRANDMASTER Mark Paragua yesterday rebounded from a 5th-round loss by whipping Fide Master Daniel Chan while GM John Paul Gomez suffered another draw in the sixth round of the 2nd HD Bank Cup International Open Chess tournament 2012 at the HD Bank head office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Paragua outwitted the lower-rated Chan to remain in contention in the nine-round competition which offers a total prize of $30,000 with the champion getting $10,000.
But while Paragua recovered his form, Gomez failed to eke out a win against IM Gao Rui of China, settling for another draw.
GM Oliver Barbosa, meantime scored his 2nd straight win against Nguyen Thien Viet of Vietnam. The Taytay, Rizal native, earlier nipped Yu Chaojie of China in the fifth round.
Paragua, Gomez and Barbosa have 4.5 points each, a full point behind solo leader GM Ni Hua of China, who drew with GM Le Quang Liem of Vietnam. Ni, conqueror of Paragua in the 5th round, continues to lead with 5.5 points while Liem is half a point behind with 5.0 points.
GM Eugene Torre drew with GM Xiu Deshun of China while IM Rolando Nolte also halved the point with GM Li Shilong of China to join Fide Master Paulo Bersamina for 12th to 23rd spots with 4.0 points.
At 24th to 44th places were IM Oliver Dimakiling, IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia, IM Emmanuel Senador, NM Edgard Reggie Olay with 3.5 points each while NM Rhobel Legaspi is at 71st place with 2.0 points.
The Filipino’s international chess campaign is backed by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) chairman/president Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. and Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman Ricardo “Richie” Garcia as part of their preparation for the 2012 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey.