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FOR a player of Wesley So’s caliber, one pawn is enough and two is
too much.
Bong Villamayor knows it very well and resigned
with So ahead by two pawns and threatening to wipe out his remaining
little pieces Thursday in the eighth round of the Philippine Battle
of the Grandmasters at the 11th floor of City State Hotel.
The world’s current youngest GM and the
country’s highest rated player notched his fifth win after 50
moves of Queen’s Gambit.
So, who played with the black pieces, improved
his tournament-leading total to 6.5 points. He also had three draws
so far.
Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre, So’s closest
pursuer, failed to keep pace following a draw with National Master
Oliver Barbosa.
Torre, who remained undefeated, agreed to split
the point after 56 moves of Nimzo Indian. He improved his total to
5.5 points.
Catching Torre at second was International
Master Richard Bitoon, who scalped National Master Hamed Nouri after
33 moves of Scotch.
GM Joey Antonio and IM John Paul Gomez were
another half-point behind after similar fighting draws.
Antonio, the second highest rated player in the
field, halved the point with IM Julio Catalino Sadorra after 32
moves of Nimzo Indian while Gomez salvaged a draw against GM Jayson
Gonzales after 41 moves of Queen’s Gambit Chigorin.
Gonzales appeared to be on his way to his first
win in the event organized by the National Chess Federation of the
Philippines with pawns on the a-file and b-file. But Gomez cushioned
the disadvantage with well-placed rook and bishop.
-- Noli Cruz
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