Garcia, San Diego keep Pinoy hopes alive
By Ed Andaya
SUBIC -- Jan Emmanuel Garcia and Marie Antoinette San Diego provided the good news for host Philippines at the halfway mark of the 2011 Asian Youth chess championships at the Subic Bay Travelers Hotel here late Tuesday. Garcia brought down Dave Patriick Dulay in an all-Filipino encounter in the fifth round to keep a share of the lead with Antonio Viani D’ Cunha of India in the boys 16 under class with identical scores of 4.5 points out of a posisble five in this nine-round tournament being held in this popular tourist destination in Olongapo. Garcia, a member of the star-studded Ateneo chess team under GM-candidate Idelfonso Datu, swept his first trhee assignments before drawing with the fourth-seeded D’ Cunha in the fourth round early Tuesday.
San Diego, who is best remembered for winning a gold medal in the ASEAN Primary Schools Sports Olympiad (APSSO) in Jakarta, Indonesia last November, battled two-time world under 8 champion Ivana Maria Furtado of India to a draw to stay in control in the girls 12 years old and under category with 4.5 points in five rounds. A multi-awarded age-group campaigner from Dasmarinas, Cavite, San Diego is half point ahead of Furtado, Bakhora Abdussattorova of Uzbekistan and Sagar Tejaswini of India with still four rounds left.
Garcia and San Diego are presently the only Filipinos are in the lead in this week-long competition being dominated by the 45-strong Indian contingent.
Prince Mark Aquino drew with Rajpara Ankit of India, while Haridas Pascua split the point with compatriot Alcon John Datu to keep their hopes alive in the centerpiece boys 18 under class. Aquino, Pascua and Datu improved to three points, one point behind Indian players G.A. Stany and Das Debashis an dhalf point behind Uzbek Jahongir Vakhidov..
In the girls 18 under, Jan Jodilyn Fronda outplayed Rathinavelu Visalatchi of India and Mikee Charlene Suede bested Bayar Anu of Mongolia to raise their scores to three points , the same of score of World Youth veteran Cheradee Chardine Camacho. Camacho, seeded third in the 22-player field, was held to a draw by Jayakumar Sarariya of India. The three Filipina campaigners, however, are two points behind frontrunner Rucha Pujari of India. Eibtizam Nahudan beat Reddy Pujitha of India and Cristine Joyce Laz downed Nuraiym Kubanaly of Kyrgyzstan to improve their scores to two points.
In the girls 16 under, Cherry Ann Mejia bowed to P.V. Nandhidhaa of India and dropped to third place with 3.5 points. Nandhidhaa has perfect score of five points, followed by Yiyi Xiao of China with four points.
Janelle Mae Fryna, who finished fourth in the 14-under category last year, settled for a draw with Mengie Qiu of China to keep her slim hopes alive with 2.5 points. The two other Filipino entries – Jean Karen Enriquez ( 2 points) and Encar Pernites ( 0.5 points) – are too far behind in theoverall standings to pose a threat.
In other results:
Boys 16 under - Dominque Lagula lost to Nima Javanbakth of Iran; Paul Robert Evangelista bowed to Babilegg Ganbold of Mongolia;
Paul Benjamin Casiano lost to Zhamba Zhokhar of Kyrgyzstan.
Boys 14 under - Jerad Docena outclassed Suvich Tachaplalert of Thailand; Giovanni Mejia beat Elbek Jumanov of Uzbekistan; Joshua Ramos subdued Luke Matthew De Leon; and
Raul Sol Cruz Jr. dumped Bryan Garcia of Macau.
Girls 14 under – Yna Sophia Canapoe beat Saikhanzaya Ganbaatar of Mongolia; Mira Mirano drew with Dao Thi Anh of Vietnam; Merlene Membrere lost to Guruhbegim Tohirjonova of Uzbekistan; Mary Joyce Fuerte bowed to Anastasia Patricks of Indonesia.
Boys 12 – Haince Patrick de Leon demolished Bilguun Bayarjangal of Mongolia; Daryl Samantila lost to Shah Hetul of India; Daniel John Lemi yielded to Chithambaram Arawind of India.
Girls 12 -- Samantha Glo Revita crushed R. Vaishali of India; Charlotte Paez lost to Bela Beisembayeva of Kazkahstan.
Boys 10 – Dennis Gutierrez beat Won Yin Long of Malaysia; Julius Goznales drew with Li Yunshanof China; Israelito Rilloraza drew with Shirami Nima of India; Emanuel Paler lost to Saidkahar Saydaliev of Uzbekistan; Paul Uy bowed to S. Anojman of Sri Lanka.
Girls 10 – Regyne Palaming beat Zebo Usmonova of Uzbekistan; Jesca Docena succumbed to The De Zen of Malaysia; Fiona Guirhem lost ot Bui Than Truc of Vietnam.
Boy 8 – Dennis Gutierrez Jr. whipped Abudssatonov Nodirbek of Uzbekistan; Jamier Luis Uy beat Nag Ritam of India; Khulene Lord de la Cruz lost to Nguyen Thineof Vietnam.
Girls 8 – Jerly Mae San Diego beat Jiu Minsun of Korea; Erlyn Mae Olila humbled Rhean de Guzman.
The tournament takes a break Wednesday to give the players and their families an opportunity to participate in educational tours in several well-known places in Subic, such as the Ocean Adventure and Zoobic Safari.
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