FM Pascua tries to boost first GM norm bid today

FILIPINO Fide Master Haridas Pascua must win his ninth and final round assignment today if he is to earn his first grandmaster norm.

Pascua will face 11th-seed GM Dmitry Bocharov of Russia today at the Hotel Grand Sahid Jaya Lantai 2 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The 57th-seed Pascua halved the point with 13th-seed GM Merab Gagunashvili of Georgia in the seventh round on Tuesday then beat countryman and 4th-seed GM Mark Paragua in yesterday’s penultimate round.

He now has a share of the sixth to 18th spots with 5.5 points on five wins, two loses and a draw in eight outings.

“Hope manalo si Haridas (Pascua) sa round 9 para sa grandmaster norm/ results,” said former World Chess Olympiad member Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales.

Pascua, who holds an ELO rating of 2350 tallied an impressive Rating Performance of 2608 in the ongoing tournament.

Meanwhile, International Master Oliver Dimakiling bowed to GM Oleg Korneev of France dimming his chances of claiming his third and final GM norm. The Davao City ace remains at 4.5 points and dropped into a tie for 26th to 46th place with compatriots GM John Paul Gomez and Asia’s First GM Eugene Torre of Iloilo.

Meanwhile, GM Richard Bitoon and GM Oliver Barbosa barged into a tie for 19th to 25th spots after beating their respective Indon rivals yesterday.

Bitoon of Medellin, Cebu crushed IM Lioe Dede while Barbosa of Taytay, Rizal outduelled GM Cerdas Barus. Both has 5.0 points.

Yu Yangyi of China remained on top of the leader board with 7.0 points after nipping fellow Chinese GM Lu Shanglei. /Correspondent Marlon Bernardino