Pinoy GM Gomez reclaims lead

GRANDMASTER John Paul Gomez bested International Master (IM) Richilieu Salcedo III after 30 moves of French defense late Tuesday to retain the solo lead after four rounds of the 2013 Battle of the Grandmaster Chess Championships at the Philippine Sports Commission office in Manila.

Gomez upped his tally to 12.0 points in the event which uses the Torre-Pichay scoring system, a method formulated by GM Eugene Torre and National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) president Prospero “Butch” Pichay, Jr. where a win is worth 3 points, a draw 1.5 points, a loss zero, and a stalemate 1.5 for the last player to make a move and 0.5 to the player who can no longer make a move.

Salcedo committed a big blunder on 18th move when he put his knight at d2 square allowing Gomez a pawn push at g5 threatening Salcedo’s Dark Bishop at f4.

Salcedo was forced to give up his Dark Bishop or lose his Queen at b5 square.

Twelve-time national open champion GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. split the point with Torre after 31 moves of Ruy Lopez Opening to raise his score to nine points on two wins and two draws.

Smarting from a third round setback to GM Antonio on Monday, IM Joel Pimentel toppled National Master Narquinden Reyes after 28 moves of Benko Gambit defense to improve to 7.5 points on two wins, a draw and a loss, the same output of M Emmanuel Senador, who downed defending champion GM Mark Paragua after 28 moves of Sicilian defense.

US-based GM Rogelio “Banjo” Barcenilla beat Fide Master Roderick Nava after 57 moves of English Opening to remain in contention with 6.5 points on a win and three draws while GM Oliver Barbosa scored his fourth straight draw, this time against GM Darwin Laylo after 31 moves of King’s Indian for six points. /Correspondent Marlon Bernardino