GM Antonio loses 7th rd match, gives up solo lead
GRANDMASTER Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr., yesterday lost to GM Sune Berg Hansen of Denmark in 64 moves of Queen’s Indian defense to relinquish the lead after seven rounds of the Bangkok Chess Club 2013 at the Dusit Thani Pattaya in Pattaya, Thailand.
Antonio, who grabbed the solo lead in the sixth round, failed to sustain his impressive form to drop into a tie for 4th to 14th place alongside compatriot Darwin Laylo who split the point with International Master (IM) Roy Saptarshi of India in 27 moves of Queen’s Pawn game.
Antonio and Laylo tally 5.5 points in seven outings, the same output of eight others including top seed GM Nigel Short of Britain who beat GM Jha Sriram of India. Short the defending champion, prevailed in 53 moves of Old Indian defense.
Filipino GM Oliver Barbosa halved the point with Ma Zhonghan of China in 66 moves of Slav defense to score 5.0 points and shared 15th to 29th spots with countryman GM Mark Paragua and NM Nelson Villanueva.
Paragua, who shared the lead in the first three rounds, lost to GM Gerhard Schebler of Germany in 37 moves of Sicilian defense while the unheralded Villanueva subdued IM Awam Wahono of Indonesia.
Hansen, Schebler and GM Zhao Zong-Yuan of Australia share the lead with 6.0 points each. Zhao bested GM Ralf Akesson of Sweden in 30 moves of Queen’s Gambit declined.
In the eighth round, Laylo goes up against Antonio on board 7, Barbosa meets FM Riste Menkinoski of Macedonia on board 9, IM Mas Hafizulhelmi of Malaysia faces Paragua on board 10 while GM Venkatesh M.R. of India battles Villanueva on board 12.
The Filipino players Thailand chess campaign is supported by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Chairman/President Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr., Secretary-General Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino Jr. and Executive Director GM Jayson Gonzales, Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.
