ASIAN INDOOR GAMES: ANTONIO, PARAGUA FALTERS IN RAPID CHESS

GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. and GM Mark Paragua of the Philippines lost their sixth round assignment, both using the disadvantageous black pieces in the on-going 3^rd Asian Indoor Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, yesterday.

The Sta.Mesa,Manila native Antonio, a sergeant at the HSSG of the Philippine Army under Commanding Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit, fell to Iranian GM Ehsan Ghaem Maghami while the Tondo, Manila born Paragua bowed to 2005 Manila South East Asian Games multiple gold medalist Vietnamese GM Le Quang Liem.

With the lost, Antonio was stuck at 3.5 points as well Paragua remains at 3.0 points.

Earlier, Antonio drew with IM Ahmad Azizjawad Obada of Irag in the fourth then nipped

FM Husse Ali of Iraq in the fifth while Paragua yielded to GM Murtas Kazhgaleyev of Kazakhstan in the fourth then nipped Russell M K A of Sri Lanka in the fifth.

In the seventh round, Antonio goes up against IM Sami Khader of Jordan while Paragua opposite FM Teerapabpaisit Wisuwat of Thailand.

Meanwhile, Chinese GM Wang Hao outclassed Indian GM Pentala Harikrishna to remain on top with 5.5 points, half point ahead with Indian GM Krishnan Sasikiran who tote 5 points, who beat Chinese GM Bu Xiangzhi.

In the distaff side, WFM Catherine Perena and WFM Shercila Cua won their respective rivals.

Perena from Caloocan City upset WGM Shadi Paridar of Iran while Cua from Quezon City crushed WIM Ismael Ibrahim Delbak of Iraq.

Perena and Cua scored identical 4.0 points apiece, the same output of GM Zhao Xue of China and WIM Nafisa Muminova of Uzbekistan.

Chinese GM Hou Yifan, on the other hand defeated Muminova for her sixth straight wins in six outings and still on top.

The RP chess team Vietnam campaign is supported by NCFP president Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr., and secretary-generalAbraham “Bambol” Tolentino Jr., and PSC chairman Harry Angping. MARLON BERNARDINO.