So derailed in Canada; Torre earns spot in World Chess Olympiad
By Joey Villar (The Philippine Star) | Updated June 28, 2014 – 6:14pm
MANILA, Philippines — Grandmaster Wesley So lost his way in Canadian FIDE Master Vladimir Pechenkin’s French Defense but found a way to escape with a marathon 109-move standoff, allowing Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk to catch up on him on top in the 9th Edmonton Chess Festival on Saturday in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
The draw sent the top-seeded So, 20, from the solo hold of the lead to a share of it with No. 2 Ivanchuk, a former World Challenger who smashed Canadian FM Dale Haessel’s Petroff Defense in just 20 moves, with 6 points apiece after the seventh round.
It was a sorry outcome for So as he fell from No. 12 in the world with a rating of 2754 the day before to No. 15 with 2749 after it.
So, who is coming off a sensational victory in the Capablanca Memorial in Cuba early this month, will have a chance to get back on track as he plays GM Irina Krush of the United States and Haessel in the last two rounds.
Back home in the Battle of GMs, Eugene Torre downed youthful International Master Paulo Bersamina in 57 moves of a Torre Attack to crown himself champion with 23 points, edging out GM John Paul Gomez by half a point.
Former solo leader Gomez halved the point with IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia in 26 moves of a Symmetrical English opening that allowed the 62-year-old Torre to snatch the title.
Torre and Gomez thus clinched the last two berths in the Phl team bound for the World Chess Olympiad from Aug. 1 to 15 in Tromso, Norway…
Source: http://www.philstar.com
Good for Torre, sad for Philippines chess.
Congrats GM Eugene Torre! See the present Philippine chess players cannot even topple an old man that shows you the dept and quality of Philippine chess under the leadership of NCFP President Pichay. Yes they have more GM’s but most if not all are of inferior quality… Heck even girls can beat their GM (Sorry GM Bitoon lol) Lack of serious & extensive training, foreign tournament exposure especially in europe, lack of adequate financial support etc etc etc Poor Philippines Chess as long as Pichay is around nothing will happen. I suggest making Eugene Torre the NCFP President his better than Pichay and remove all politicians in the board. Mahiya naman kayo NCFP
There goes again news by NCFP-paid sports writers, as if whats happening there is important. The NCFP is not a good example punishing their players and lack understanding, being selfish. Because of inferior trainings and misuse of funds by Pichay and gm-turned-politician Gonzales, your GMs are of low quality and can be
beaten by young girls
All the politicians should be booted out of NCFP. Yours truly GM Jayson has drained the coppers of NCFP together with Pichay