Friday, September 24, 2010

R3: Philippines vs Scotland

3 comments:

rjsolcruz said...

RP, Scotland draw in World Chess Olympiad

abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 09/24/2010 4:59 PM | Updated as of 09/24/2010 4:59 PM


Vintage Torre scores most Olympiad appearances

MANILA, Philippines – The old guard kept the Philippines’ head above water Wednesday in the third round of the 39th World Chess Olympiad at the Complex "Arena Ugra" of Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.

Eugene Torre, Asia's First Grandmaster (GM), hacked out a critical victory in the middle board to hold Scotland to a 2-all standoff.

"Gagawin ko ang lahat ng makakaya ko para makapag-ambag muli ng karangalan sa bayan," said Torre (ELO 2489).

The 58-year-old Torre squeezed out a win after 74-moves over Stephen Burns-Mannion (ELO 2269), using the Giuco Piano with white.

Torre, a close friend of the late chess champ Bobby Fischer, tied the record of GM Lajos Portisch of Hungary for most Olympiad appearances at 20.

He had the opportunity of scoring the record during the Olympiad in Dresden, Germany two years ago but he was designated by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) President Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr. as the non-playing captain.

GM Wesley So (ELO 2668) and IM Richard Bitoon (2447) settled for draws in their respective matches.

So halved the point with GM Colin McNab (ELO 2445) after 35 moves of Modern defense. Bitoon drew with Fide Master (FM) Graham Morrison (ELO 2345) after 47 moves of Queens Indian defense.

GM Darwin Laylo (ELO 2522) bowed to GM Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant (ELO 2451) after 37 moves of Sicilian defense, allowing Scotland to secure a 2-all deadlock.

In the fourth round late Friday (Manila Time), the No. 37 seed Filipinos are set to play No. 84 seed Paraguay.

In women's play, the nationals blanked Qatar, 4-0, with Cheradee Chardine Camacho, Catherine Perena, Shercila Cua and Jedara Docena providing important victories.

Camacho beat Salama Al-Khelaifi after 28 moves of Modern defense; Perena outclassed Aisha Al-Khelaifi after 31 moves of Slav defense; Jose dealt Reem Safar after 23 moves of Queen's Gmabit Accepted; while Docena routed Ghada Al-Khulaifi after 43 moves of Vienna Opening.

rjsolcruz said...

Torre to the rescue as RP draws with Scotland
First Posted 12:27:11 25/09/2010

KHANTY-MANSIYSK, Russia—Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre celebrated his record 20th World Chess Olympiad appearance with a crucial win as the Philippines salvaged a 2-2 draw with lowly Scotland in the third round at the Khanty-Mansisyk Sports Center on Friday.

The 58-year-old Torre, playing in his 237th game in a record 20th Olympiad stint, outlasted IM Stephen Burns-Mannions (Elo 2372) in a marathon 74 moves of the Guico Piano to give the 37th-seeded Filipinos the face-saving draw with the 63rd-seeded Scottish side.

The Filipino chess icon’s win made up for the surprise defeat of GM Darwin Laylo to GM Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant on board two, after GM Wesley So on board one and IM Richard Bitoon on board three were held to draws.

Arakhamia-Grant, one of several female players competing in the men’s division, beat Laylo in 37 moves of the Sicilian Kan game.

So drew with GM Colin McNab in 35 moves of the Modern defense, while IM Richard Bitoon split the point with Fide Master Graham Morrison.

Arakhamia-Grant, a 42-year-old former top Georgian player, got the better of Laylo following a series of exchanges.

The draw with the Scots pulled down the Filipinos into a tie for 63rd to 85th places with three match points based on the scoring system that gives two points for a win, one point for a draw and zero for a loss.

It was Torre’s 87th Olympiad win against 111 draws and 39 losses for a total of 142.5 points—the third highest score by a player, in a tie with GM Svetozar Gligoric of the former Yugoslavia.

Only Hungarian GM Lajos Portisch (176.5 points) and Argentine GM Miguel Najdorf (145) have better records.

In women’s play, the Filipinos posted their second 4-0 shutout win, this time over Qatar.

The 52nd-seeded squad remained in contention with four match points.

rjsolcruz said...

Torre saves day for RP vs Scotland
(The Philippine Star) Updated September 25, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (6)

MANILA, Philippines - Grandmaster Eugene Torre celebrated his record 20th Chess Olympiad stint in grand fashion, beating IM Stephen Burns-Mannions to provide the face-saving victory in the Philippines’ 2-2 draw with lowly Scotland in the third round in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia Friday.

Torre, who played in his 237th game in record 20 Olympiad appearances that spanned four decades, actually needed 74 moves to outlast Burns-Mannions in their Guiocco Piano game but it saved the 37th-seeded Filipinos from humiliation against the surprisingly tough Scottish side, ranked No. 63 in the biennial competition.

Torre, who made his Olympiad debut as a 19-year-old sensation in Siegen, Germany in 1970, played with renewed confidence and energy to survive the marathon match and his younger rival in a four-hour long encounter.

He wisely forced an exchange of major pieces in the opening stages of the game and outmaneuvered Mannions in a rook-and- pawn endgame.

Torre, who will turn 59 on Nov. 4, gained the initiative on the 50th when he captured Mannions’ pawn on e5 while giving up his knight for a bishop. The Filipino gobbled up another pawn four moves later to gain a winning advantage.

Torre then promoted his b-pawn to a queen on the 72nd, forcing Mannions to resign two moves later.

GM Darwin Laylo earlier lost to GM Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant in 37 moves of a Sicilian on board two.

GM Wesley So was held to a draw by GM Colin McNab in 35 moves of the Modern defense on the top board, while IM Richard Bitoon split the point with FM Graham Morrison.



The draw, however, pulled down the Filipinos to joint 63rd with three match points based on the scoring system that gives two points for a win, one point for a draw and zero for a loss.

Overall, it was Torre’s 87th win in the Olympiad against 111 draws and 39 losses for a total of 142.5 points -– the third-most score in a tie with GM Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia (now Serbia).

Only GM Lajos Portisch of Hungary, who had 176.5 points, and GM Miguel Najdorf of Argentina, who had 145 points, have better records.

In the fourth round, the Filipinos will take on No. 84 seed Paraguay, which also drew with Bolivia, 2-2.

So battles IM Jose Fernando Cubas, GM John Paul Gomez returns to action against FM Manuel Latorre, Torre faces FM Guillermo Vasquez and Bitoon takes on FM Eduardo Peralta.

In women’s play, the Filipinas posted their second 4-0 shutout victory over lowly Qatar.

Cheradee Camacho Catherine Perena, Rulp Ylen Jose and Jedara Docena swept their respective assignments to give the 52nd-seeded Filipinas four match points.

Camacho beat WFM Salama Al-Khelaifi to remain as the country’s leading scorer with 2.5 points in three rounds.

Perena humbled Aisha Al-Khelaifi, Jose downed Reem Shafar and Docena crushed Ghada Al-Khulaifi.

The Filipinas’ next opponent is No. 23 seed Israel.