Pinay WFM San Diego notches 2nd victory

Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China — FILIPINO Daryl Unix Samantila rebounded from an opening-day loss by whipping Chinese Liu  Ze  Zhou while Woman Fide Master Marie Antoinette San Diego scored her second straight win on Tuesday in the second round of the 2011 China vs. Asean junior chess competition here.

Samantila prevailed with the white pieces in just 29 moves of a Dutch defense in this round-robin event.

Samantila, who bagged the gold medal in the 2011 Asean + age group chess competition in Tarakan, Indonesia last June, lost to Wang Yu Kun of China in the first round of the open 12-years-old-and-under category.

Meanwhile, San Diego posted her second win by ripping Zhao Sheng Xin of China in their Sicilian skirmish of the girls 12-Under division.

“Winning na siya (Zhao Sheng Xin) sa laro namin kaso parang nag relax kaya naka recover pa ako at nakuha ko y’ung importanteng panalo,” said San Diego, the youngest Filipina Woman Fide Master at 12. In the opening round, she beat Zhang Rang of China after 32 moves of Slav defense.

Meanwhile, Samantha Glo Revita recovered from a losing position and salvaged a draw against Huang Mo Fei after 45 moves of an English Opening for her second straight draw in the girls 12-Under class.

However, Ronald Canino and Jerlyn Mae San Diego failed to score a follow-up to their first round wins.

Canino bowed to Malin of China after 45 moves of Sicilian defense in the open 10-Under category while Jerlyn Mae yielded to Wang Ming Qing of China in the girls 8-Under division.

Canino upset Dai Wen Zhi of China after 60 moves of French defense in the first round while Jerlyn Mae toppled Xie Li Bei Lei of China after 54 moves of Sicilian Defense dragon variation.

Dennis Gutierrez III subdued Yu Kai Feng of China after 49 moves of King’s Indian defense in the open 8-Under category while Julius Gonzales split the point with Dai in their London System Opening duel.

Gutierrez who halved the point with Xu Yin La of China after 46 moves of Sicilian kan in the first round raised his total 1.5 points.

The Filipino chessers’ China campaign is backed by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) chairman Prospero Pichay Jr. and secretary general Abraham Tolentino Jr., the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC).