Keeping medal hope alive

5.5 points — L.Q. Liem (Vietnam)
5 — R. Kasimdzhanov (Uzbekistan)
4.5 — W. So (RP), K. Sasikiran (India), B. Xiangzhi (China), N. Hua (China), D. Sadvakasov (Kazakhstan)
4 — A. Filippov (Uzbekistan), S. Ganguly (India), E. Ghaemmaghami (Iran), E. Moradiabadi (Iran), S. Megaranto (Indonesia).
3.5 — R. Antonio (RP), M. Kazhgaleyev (Kazakhstan), N.T. Truong Son (Vietnam), B. Gundavaa (Mongolia), M. Al-Sayed (Qatar) , A. Hassan ( UAE), M. Al-Modiahki (Qatar)

GUANGZHOU, China — Filipino GMs Wesley So and Rogelio Antonio, Jr. pulled off a pair of inspiring victories over their sixth-round opponents to stay within striking distance in the 16th Asian Games rapid chess competitions at the Guangzhou Chess Institute here Monday.

So, at 17 the country’s brightest hope for medal in this 46-player, 25-nation tournament, demolished upset-conscious Bayarsaikhan Gundavaa of Mongolia to raise his score to 4.5 points on four wins, one draw and one loss in the opening round.

Overall, So climbed into a share of third to seventh places with GMs Krishnan Sasikiran of India, Darmen Sadvakavof of Kazakhstan and Bu Xiangzhi and Ni Hua of China.

So is only a full point behind top seed GM Le Quang Liem of Vietnam, who was held to a draw by Sadvakasov after five straight wins.

The Filipino champion is also half a point behind GM Rustan Kasimdzhanov of Uzbekistan , who outclassed GM Surya Shekhar Ganguly of India in the other featured sixth-round encounter.

So’s seventh round rival is Sasikiran, the second highest-rated player with an ELO of 2688 and the most prolific Indian player here in the absence of world champion GM Viswanathan Anand.

Sasikiran primed himself up for the keenly-anticipated showdown against the fast-rising Filipino hero drubbing GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son of Vietnam. Monday was also a huge day for the two players of the host country – Bu and Ni.

Bu, seeded fourth with an ELO of 2680, whipped Kazhgaleyev, while Ni, ranked seventh with ELO 2633, crushed GM Mohamad Al-Modiahki of Qatar.

The other Filipino campaigner, GM Rogelio Antonio, Jr. outwitted IM Zendan Al-Zendai of Yemen, to keep his slim hopes alive with 3.5 points on three wins, one draw and two losses.

Antonio, a last-minute addition to the team to boost the country’s medal chances, is tied for 13th to 19th places with still three rounds left.

The 48-year-old pride of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro will take on GM Mohammed Al-Sayed of Qatar in the seventh round at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Earlier Monday, So drew with GM Murtas Kazgaleyev of Kazakhstan while Antonio lost to Gundavaa.