GRANDMASER Abhijeet Gupta of India turned back GM Alexander Zubov of Ukraine in the battle of the top two seeds in the fourth round yesterday to climb into a share of the lead with GM Anton Demchenko of Russia in the 2015 Philippine International Chess Championship at the Subic Peninsular Hotel, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority in Olongapo City.
Standings after four rounds (Open Division) Demchenko, Gupta 3.5, Belous, Shomoev, Lin, Sivuk, Deepan 3.0, Zubov, Sunilduth Lyna, Lu, Laylo, Savchenko, Nguyen, Ranola 2.5, Mozharov, Torre, Sean, Nolte, Rohan, Antonio, Bitoon, Abelgas, Gotel 2.0, Smirnov, Puranik, Bersamina 1.5, Kotanjian, Pederson, Pascua, Frayna, Secopito, Mariano III 1.0, Docena, Dimakilng .5, Fronda, Galas 0.
(Challenger Division, after three rounds) Mirano K., Mendoza 3.0, Morado, Salgados, Alora, Mirano J.F. Salcedo 2.5, Lim, Miciano, Evangelists, Aviles F., Diaz, Marimla 2.0, Rapanot, Pradas, Morsalim, Bernardo, Bagamasbad, Cerezo, Ricana 1.5, Pidor, Polao, Alidani, Doroy, Medina, Vicente, Romero, Salanga, Morsalim 1.0, Segundo, Fagon, Valdez, Graspela 0.5, Bautista, Crisologo 0.
The 26-year old former world junior champion Gupta outwitted his Ukranian foe and erstwhile co-leader in 41 moves of the Various Indian Defense to collect 3.5 points in four rounds, the same score of Demchenko, who agreed to a draw with fellow Russian GM Vladimir Belous after 42 moves of a Sicilian-Scheveningen Defense.
Also making headway were Indian GM Chakkravarthy Deepan, ninth seed GM Anton Shomoev, IM Chen Lin of China and GM Vitaly Sivuk of Ukraine, who beat their respective opponents to improve their total to 3.0 points, along with Belous, Zubov and Indian IM Narayanan Suldith Lyna.
Deepan, the no. 14 seed, upset no. 7 GM Mikhail Mozharov of Russia after a marathon 72 moves of a Queen’s Indian, Shomoev downed Winshand Cuhendi Sean of Indonesia in 33 moves of a Sicilian-Sveshnikov, Lin topped GM Eugene Torre while Sivuk outlasted Filipino IM Rolando Nolte in 57 moves of a King’s Indian Defense.
Following Torre and Nolte’s losses, GM Darwin Laylo and IM Yves Ranola emerged as the best Filipino campaigners with 2.5 each after four rounds. Laylo defeated IM Abhimaryu Puranik of India, while Ranola drew with Fide Master Ahuja Rohan of India.
Also with 2.5 points are India’s GM Narayanan Sulduth Lyna, Chinese GM Shanglei Lu, Russian GM Boris Savchenko and Vietnamese GM Duc Hoa Nguyen.
Torre, Nolte trail with 2.0 points along with seven others, including fellow local campaigner sGM Joey Antonio and NM Roel Abelgas.
In the Challenger Divison of the week-long tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Puregold, Asian United Bank and Burlington Socks, Far Eastern University varsity players WIM Shania Mae Mendoza and Kevin Mirano are tied for the lead with perfect 3.0 points. Mirano topped Samson Lim, while Mendoza turned back Alfredo Lapanot.