GM Gomez seizes solo lead in Phoenix chess tourney
By Roy Luarca
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:32:00 05/28/2010
Standings after 4 rounds:Men’s Division: 4.0 points—J. Gomez; 3.5—W. So; 3.0—R. Antonio; 2.5—R. Bitoon; 2.0—D. Laylo; 1.5—R. Nolte, J. Sadorra; J. Garcia; 0.5—H. Pascua, O. Dimakiling, DableoWomen’s Division: 3.0 points—R. Jose, B. Mendoza; 2.5—C. Camacho, J. Docena; 2.0—C. Perena, C. Mejia, A. Salvador, S. Cua, M. Suede; 1.5—A. Suede; 1.0—C. Bernales; 0.5—J. Palomo
TAGAYTAY CITY—Grandmaster John Paul Gomez continued to sizzle Thursday, trouncing FIDE Master Haridas Pascua to grab the solo lead in the Phoenix Petroleum 3rd Battle of Grandmasters at the Character hotel here.
Showing the form that made him the country’s highest scorer in the 2008 Dresden Olympiad, Gomez adeptly handled black in forcing Pascua to resign in 33 moves of the Slav for a perfect four points, shoving him ahead of erstwhile co-leader Wesley So.
The top-seeded So was held to a draw by World Cup teammate GM Darwin Laylo in 43 moves of a Scandinavian Center Counter and dropped to second place with 3.5 points.
In the third round Wednesday night, Gomez and So stayed abreast by beating International Master Julio Catalino Sadorra and FM Jan Emmanuel Garcia, respectively.
“I hope this (win streak) will continue,” said Gomez, a mechanical engineering graduate from De La Salle University.
Gomez and So were battling it out Thursday night.
GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio subdued IM Ronald Dableo and then drew with Sadorra in 45 moves of a Modern Benoni to rank third with 3.0 points.
IM Richard Bitoon was at 2.5 points following a victory over Garcia, the youngest in the field at 14, after 37 moves of an English Opening.
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Come on Wesley! You can do it!