So draws Antonio, nears Zonals title

TAGAYTAY CITY—-Filipino Grandmaster Wesley So settled for a 31-move draw with countryman GM Rogelio ‘Joey’ Antonio Jr. yesterday to retain the lead after eight rounds of the Asian Zone 3.3 Chess Championship at the Tagaytay International Convention Center, here.

Playing with black, So agreed to a draw in their French defense match to tally 6.5 points in eight rounds and will only need another draw in today’s ninth and final round to win the event hosted by Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino Jr. and organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.

“Ok lamang mag draw para mapreserba natin ang lakas natin sa huling round bukas (Tuesday),” said the 19-year-old So, the country’s highest-ranked player and the tournament’s top seed with an Elo rating of 2682.

A draw today will enable So to compete in this year’s World Chess Championships dubbed as the World Cup.

So grabbed the solo lead in the seventh round following an impressive victory over IM Nguyen Duc Hoa of Vietnam late Sunday where erstwhile co-leader and second seed GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son of Vietnam drew with Antonio.

Still battling as of press time yesterday were Ngoc Truong Son (5.5 pts) against countryman GM Cao Sang (5.0 pts) who beat IM Bayarsaikhan Gundavaa of Mongolia; defending champion GM Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia vs. GM Mark Paragua of the Philippines and GM Darwin Laylo of the Philippines vs. compatriot GM John Paul Gomez.

GM Eugene Torre’s game against GM Dao Thien Hai also ended in a draw.

Other seventh round results last Sunday: Megaranto drew with Laylo, Paragua edged countryman GM Richard Bitoon and Gomez subdued FM Tran Tuan Minh of Vietnam.

In women’s action, WGM Nguyen Thi Thanh An of Vietnam defeated Bernadette Galas of the Philippines in 34 moves of Sicilian defense, dragon variation to keep the lead with 6.0 points.

Galas who upset WGM Pham Le Thao Nguyen of Vietnam in the sixth round has 4-0 points, the same score of WIM Medina Warda Aulia and WIM Sihite Chelsie Monica of Indonesia, WGM Pham Le Thao Nguyen and WIM Hoang Thi Nhu Y of Vietnam and IM Munguntuul Batkhuyag of Mongolia.

WGM Hoang Thi Bao Tram and WIM Nguyen Thi Mai Hung of Vietnam, both has 4.5 points for second and third spots. /CORRESPONDENT MARLON BERNARDINO