MANILA---Grandmaster Rogelio "Joey" Antonio Jr. (Elo 2397) dumped Igor Tsyn (Elo 2014) of Israel to jumpstart his campaign after the first round of the 30th FIDE World Senior Individual Chess Championship being held at the Hotel Cenacolo in Assisi, Umbria, Italy Tuesday night.
It was a good start for the 60-year-old Antonio, who is raring to continues his winning run from a forgettable performance in the RSM Tun Mustapha Championship Tawau held on September 17-18 in Sabah, Malaysia where he finished over-all 1st place, his first international over the board tournament this year.
Playing white, the 13-time Philippine Open Champion Antonio, defeated Igor Tsyn in 54 moves of French defense in the 50-and-above division.
Antonio, whose trip is being bankrolled by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. , Sen. Bong Go, Col. Jaime Osit Santos and Bayanihan Chess Club Co-Founding Chairman Dr. Joe Balinas, will slug it out Slovakia's Fide Master Milan Kolesar (Elo 2136) in the second round Wednesday night. Kolesar, on the other hand, subdued Dr. Andreas Gerlach (Elo 1632) of Germany.
Antonio, the top player of PCAP's Iloilo Kisela Knights which is owned by sportsman Mr. Leo Sotaridona will try to surpass his runner-up finish in the 27th World Senior Chess Championship 2017 (50+) held in Acqui Terme, Italy in 2017. Grandmaster Julio Granda Zúñiga of Peru won the said chessfest.
The Quezon City resident Antonio who hails from Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro won the team silver medal with Eugene Torre, Wesley So, John Paul Gomez and Darwin Laylo in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.
International Master Angelo Abundo Young (Elo 2309) was stunned by Manuel Ruiz Bellon (Elo 1968) of Spain.
Young, an eight-time Illinois USA champion, will face Spain's Marco Di Paolo (Elo 1833) who lost to Fide Master Hayder A. Jaafar Al-Sahlanee (Elo 2194) of Iraq.
Meanwhile, International Master elect and Fide Master Jose Efren Bagamasbad (Elo 2051) dismantled Fosco Cavatorta (Elo 1725) of Italy to meet Grandmaster Jens Kristiansen (Elo 2353) of Denmark in the next round, who brought down Kjetil Strand (Elo 1953) of Norway in the 65 years old and above category.
Bagamasbad is fresh from winning the Asian Seniors Chess Championship in the Over 65 category division last Oct. 14-22 in Auckland, New Zealand.
With his feat, Bagamasbad got an outright International Master and a Grandmaster norms.
Young and Bagamasbad, both Senior players in the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines championship team of Laguna Heroes which is owned by online Arena Grandmaster Dr. Fred Paez.-Marlon Bernardino-