Pinoy chessers off to hot start in Bangkok

Grandmasters Oliver Barbosa and Mark Paragua yesterday led the rampaging start of Filipino chess players in the Bangkok Chess Club 2013 in Pattaya, Thailand.

The fifth-seeded Barbosa defeated Thanatipanonda Thotsaporn and FM Teerapabpaisit Wisuwat of Thailand while eighth-seed Paragua bested Hj Azahari Md Aliuddin of Brunei and countryman FM Deniel Causo, in the firzst two rounds.

Grandmasters Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr., John Paul Gomez and Darwin Laylo and FM Hamed Nouri also won their first two matches.

The 12th-seed Antonio outplayed Ron Hoffman of the Netherlands and Timo Tuomala of Finland; Gomez seeded 13th routed Viacheslav Dotsenko of Russia and compatriot NM Nelson Villanueva, 17th-seed Laylo subdued Poompong Wiwatanadate of Thailand and Ronald Frosch of Austria while the 41st-seed Nouri smashed Yutithamnon Surapole of Thailand and Gonzalez Gonzalez Alfonso of Spain.

“So far, so good,” said National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Chairman/President Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr.

Also with two points are top seed GM Nigel Short (ELO 2697) of England, third seed GM Jan Gustafsson (ELO 2621) of Germany, fourth seed GM Humpy Koneru (ELO 2597) of India, seventh seed GM Hansen Sune Berg (ELO 2561) of Denmark and 15th seed GM Venkatesh M.R. (ELO 2508) of India.

The Filipinos’ Thailand chess campaign is also supported by NCFP Secretary-General Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino Jr. and Executive Director GM Jayson Gonzales, the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.