TAGAYTAY City - Grandmaster (GM) Eugene Torre (2449) outlasted countryman International Master (IM) Angelo Young (2281) to assume solo lead after the 3rd round of the 9th Asian Seniors Chess Championship (Standard event) here at the Tagaytay International Convention Center late Monday.
The defending champion Torre played superbly to clinch the win over Young in the tough, 34-player-field, 9-round World Chess Federation (FIDE) tournament organized by Tagaytay Chess Club on behalf of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) and the Asian Chess Federation (ACF) and backed up by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), hosted by the Tagaytay City government through Cavite 7th District Congressman Abraham “Bambol “ Tolentino Jr. and Mayor Agnes Tolentino.
"I hope to sustain my form," said Torre, who turned 67 on Sunday.
The Iloilo native Torre, handling white, beat Young after 51 moves of Larsen Opening.
The win enabled Torre to grab the solo lead with 3 points, just a half-a-point ahead of compatriots International Masters (IMs) Chito Garma and Petronio Roca, National Masters (NMs) Cesar Caturla, Carlo Lorena and Rolzon Roullo and Than Khin of Myanmar.
In the fourth round, while Roca will test the mettle of Torre, Garma will take on Lorena. Roullo will play Caturla and Khin goes up against Fide Master (FM) Oleg Rinas of Kazakhstan.
In other Round 3 results, Garma split the point with Khin after 55 moves of London System Opening, Roullo bested Kuanishbek Jumadullayev of Kazakhstan after 52 moves of Pirc defense, Roca smashed International Master (IM) Aitkazy Baimurzin of Kazakhstan after 56 moves of St. George defense, Caturla trounced countryman National Master Efren Bagamasbad after 80 moves of English Opening, Lorena nipped compatriot National Master Rosendo Bandal Jr. after 27 moves of Catalan Opening and Manaog halved the point with Rinas after 107 movesof another Catalan Opening.-Marlon Bernardino-