Garcia, Datu still in 2nd; Nouri shares lead in Asean chess

INTERNATIONAL Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia of Manila and National Master Alcon John Datu of Caloocan City toppled their respective rivals to remain in second place in the ongoing 14th ASEAN + Age Group Chess Championships 2013 at the Imperial Mae Ping Hotel in Chiangmai, Thailand yesterday.

Garcia bested FM Mohamad Satibi of Indonesia while Datu toppled Mohammad Nubairshah Shaikh of India.

Garcia and Datu each have 5.0 points after seven games in the Open Under-20 division of the Standard competition.

FM Nguyen Van Hai of Vietnam split a point with FM Haridas Pascua of Mangatarem, Pangasinan to stay on top with 6.0 points going to the last two rounds. Pascua, on the other hand, notched 4.5 points for solo fourth place.

Meanwhile, Alekhine Nouri of Escalante City, Negros Occidental took the measure of Vo Pham Thien Phuc of Vietnam to keep his title hopes in the Open Under-8 division of the Standard competition alive.

With the win, Nouri is tied for the lead with Chinguun Sumiya of Mongolia, who brought downed Bintang Rasyid A. Hidayat of Indonesia. Nouri and Chinguun, both have 6.0 points.

Michael Concio Jr. of Sta. Rosa, Laguna failed to match Nouri and Chinguun at the top after losing to Nguyen Duc Sang of Vietnam.

Concio remained with 5.0 points, the same output of Hidayat, Duc Sang and Nguyen Hoang Hiep of Vietnam and Ganzorig Amartuvshin of Mongolia. Jerish John Velarde of Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu drew with Nguyen Thanh Trung of Vietnam while James Henry Calacday of Antipolo City beat Tanakorn Tuwatawannurak of Thailand.

Other Filipino bets in contention are Jerad Docena of Bohol (5.0 points), National Master Giovanni Mejia of Labrador, Pangasinan (4.5 points) and FM Paulo Bersamina of Pasay City (4.5 points) in the Open Under-16 division, Daryl Unix Samantila of Tonsuya, Malabon (5.0 points) in the Open Under-14 division, WFM Marie Antoinette San Diego of Dasmarinas, Cavite (4.5 points), WIM elect Janelle Mae Frayna of Legaspi City, Albay (4.0 points) and WNM Jan Jodilyn Fronda of Manila (3.5 points) in the Girls Under-20 division, Shania Mae Mendoza of Sta. Rosa, Laguna (5.0 points), Ella Grace Moulic of Davao City (4.0 points) and Ynna Sophia Canape of Marikina City (3.5 points) in the Girls Under-16 division, Samantha Glo Revita of Rosales, Pangasinan (5.0 points) in the Girls Under-14 division, and Allaney Jia G Doroy of Agusan del Norte (5.5 points) and Natori Biazza Diaz of Sagay City, Negros Oriental (5.0 points) in the Girls Under-12 division.