CEBUANO BITOON BEATS TOP SEED GEORGIAN SUPER GM

Individual Standings after round 4: (56 players)

4.0 points— GM Wong Meng Kong (Singapore)

3.5 points— IM Richard Bitoon (Philippines)

3.0 points— GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. (Philippines), GM Darwin Laylo (Philippines), GM John Paul Gomez (Philippines), IM Ronald Dableo (Philippines), GM Anton Filippov (Uzbekistan), GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son (Vietnam), GM Pyotr Kostenko (Kazakhstan), GM Annuar Ismagambetov (Kazakhstan), GM Tigran Kotanjian (Armenia), GM Dao Thien Hai (Vietnam)

2.5 points— GM Mark Paragua (Philippines), GM Buenaventura Villamayor (Philippines), GM Jayson Gonzales (Philippines), FM Leonardo Carlos (Philippines), GM Ehsan Ghaem Maghami (Philippines), GM Mikhael Michedlishvili (Georgia), GM Merab Gagunashvili (Georgia), GM Getha Gopal Nayanan (India), GM Das Neelotpal (India)

2.0 points—GM Eugene Torre (Philippines)…

FILIPINO International Master Richard Bitoon (2490) turned back Georgian Super GM Mikhael Michedlishvili (2613) to strengthening his GM title bid after the fourth round of 4th President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Cup International Chess Championship Friday night at the Duty Free Fiestamall in Paranaque City.

The Medellin, Cebu native prevailed after 54 moves of Sicilian defense using the white pieces.

With the win, the former Southwestern University mainstay Bitoon, protégé of NM Matias “Bombi” Aznar, who is seeking his third and final GM norm raise his total 3.5 points to occupy solo second place.

“Sana makakuha ako dito ng GM title norm,” said Bitoon, who is next assignment is sole leader Singaporean GM Wong Meng Kong who tote 4.0 points, after win by default over fellow over-night leader Filipino GM-elect Ronald Dableo.

Other matches saw, GM Rogelio “Antonio Jr. outplayed compatriot IM Oliver Dimakiling, GM John Paul Gomez crushed countryman NM Edgardo Garma and GM Darwin Laylo subdued Filipino IM Emmanuel Senador to notch 3.0 points that include Dableo, head coach of University of Sto.Tomas, GM Anton Filippov (Uzbekistan), GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son (Vietnam), GM Pyotr Kostenko (Kazakhstan), GM Annuar Ismagambetov (Kazakhstan), GM Tigran Kotanjian (Armenia) and GM Dao Thien Hai (Vietnam).

Defending champion, Eugene Torre (2535), meanwhile settled for his four straight draws against Davao City bet NM Edgar Reggie Olay for 2.0 points.

The nine-round Swiss tournament offers $6,000 to the champion in the $40,000 total pot prize FIDE event.

TYPHOON ONDOY HITS PGMA CHESS

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Typhoon Ondoy flooded most of the streets in Metro Manila including underlying provinces in Luzon. Streets were turned into virtual rivers in a space of a few short hours that forced the organizing group to postpone the fourth round schedule Saturday night.

Yesterday morning, exact 9:30 am, the organizing committee resume the fourth round of PGMA, however six players— GM-elect Ronald Dableo, IM Barlo Nadera, NMs Deniel Causo and Ali Branzuela, Albert Rivera and Conrado Diaz lost by default due to stranded in their respective places.

“Lampas tao ang baha dito sa Bacood,” said Bacood, Sta. Mesa resident Rivera who held GM Jayson Gonzales into a draw during their opening round encounter.

International Arbiter Gene Poliarco said, the said matters of the six players who lost by default already tackle in the “appeals committee”.

“Nasa appeals committee na,” said Poliarco in an interview of this writer yesterday.

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO.