China ends PH run, gains share of lead in Olympiad

Team Standings after 9 rounds:

15 points — China, Russian Federation, Armenia, USA

14 points — Ukraine, Netherlands, Argentina

13 points — Czech Republic, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Germany, Philippines, Denmark, Belarus, Poland, Vietnam

THE Philippine’s Cinderella run in the 40th World Chess Olympiad came to a painful stop Friday, after the country absorbed a stinging, 0.5-3.5 loss to arch rival China to drop into a tie for 8th to 16th place at the WOW Convention Center in Istanbul, Turkey.

GM Wesley So (2652) split the point with GM Wang Hao (2726) after 64 moves of King’s Indian defense on board 1 to prevent a possible shut-out loss for the Pinoys who have 13 points.

GM Oliver Barbosa (2554) bowed to GM Ding Liren (2695) on board 2, GM Eugene Torre (2469) yielded to GM Bu Xiangzhi (2670) on board 3 while GM Mark Paragua (2508) lost to GM Li Chao (2665) on board 4.

China now has 15 points and gained a share of the lead with Russian Federation, Armenia and the USA.

In other results, USA edged overnight solo-leader Russian Federation, 2.5-1.5 while Armenia routed Germany, 2.5-1.5.

In the distaff side, the Pinay chessers succumbed to Romania, 1.5-2.5.

WIM Catherine Perena and WNM Jedara Docena lost to WIM Irina Bulmaga and WGM Alina L’Ami on boards 1 and 3, respectively.

WNM Janelle Mae Frayna drew with WGM Elena-Luminita Costa on board 2 while WNM Jan Jodilyn Fronda beat WGM Mihaela Sandu on board 4.

The women’s team has 10 points, good for a share of 38th to 53rd spots.

In the tenth round, the men’s team battles Vietnam while the women’s squad faces Malaysia.

The Filipinos’ chess campaign in Istanbul is backed up by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Chairman/President Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. and Secretary-General Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino Jr., Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Ricardo Garcia and Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Jose Cojuangco Jr.