So off to hot start; Sadorra stuns Kazakhstan GM

SUBIC, Philippines – GM Wesley So outwitted Bayarsaikh Gundavaa of Mongolia while GM-candidate Julio Catalino Sadorra shocked fourth seed GM Murtas Kazhgaleyev of Kazakhstan at the start of the Asian Continental Individual chess championship late Wednesday here.

So, seeded second behind GM Krishnan Sasikiran of India, pressed his attack in the middle game and essayed a 61-move victory over Gundavaa to lead the march of the fancied bets in the 11-round tournament hosted by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) in cooperation with the Asian Chess Federation.

Sasikiran, toting a 2682 rating, trounced GM Jayson Gonzales in 35 moves of Irregular opening in a top board encounter at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

Third seed GM Zhou Jianchao of China, No. 5 GM Surya Sheikh Ganguly of India, No. 8 GM Le Quang Liem of Vietnam, No. 13 GM Abhijeet Gupta and No. 16 GM Chanda Sandipan of India also beat their respective rivals.

John Paul Gomez also got off to a hot start, defeating No. 63 FM K. Priyadharsyhan of India.

But Sadorra, ranked 48th in the 86-player, provided the biggest opening day spark by surprising Kazhgaleyev in 42 moves of the Queens Gambit.

Also scoring big wins were No. 53 Wan Yunguo of China, who toppled No. 9 GM Hou Yifan; No. 61 IM Jayaram Ashwin, who stunned No. 16 GM Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia; No. 68 FM Tsegmed Batchuluun of Mongolia, who subdued No. 27 Bui Vinh of Vietnam; and No. 77 FM Anjas Novita of Indoneisa, who bested No. 37 IM Mohammed Al-Sayed of Qatar.

GM Darwin Laylo trounced compatriot David Elorta and GM Bong Villamayor crushed Nguyen Hoang Nam of Vietnam to join opening-day winners.

GM Eugene Torre, the second highest-rated Filipino player but seeded only 15th here with a 2561 rating, settled for a draw with No. 58 Xu Deshun of China.

No. 23 GM Mark Paragua also halved the point with No. 65 GM Niaz Murshed of Bangladesh, so did No. 28 GM Joey Antonio with No. 69 FM Awam Wahono of Indonesia, No. 40 IM Richard Bitoon with No. 81 Yu Lie of China, No. 41 IM Rolando Nolte with No. 82 FM Jasen Alhuwar of United Arab Emirates, and IM Oliver Dimakiling with No. 11 GM Mohammad Al-Modiaki of Qatar.

In women’s play, top seed GM Zhu Chen of Qatar whipped WIM Xu Tong of China and second seed Ju Wenjun of Chian dumped FM Le Thi Phuong Lien of Vietnam.

The RP ladies settled for draws as Dresden Olympiad veterans Cheradee Chardine Camacho and Christy Lamiel Bernales halved the points with WGM Huang Qiam of China and Nguyen Thi Ma Hng of Vietnam, respectively.

But the seven others – Catherine Perena, Sherily Cua, Rulp Ylen Jose, Beverly Mendoza, Aices Salvador, Jedara Docena and Mikee Chardine Suede – all lost their opening-day matches to higher-rated foreign rivals.