Demchenko catches Pantsulaia at the top
MANILA, Philippines - Russian Grandmaster Anton Demchenko downed Filipino GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. yesterday to catch Georgian GM Levan Pantsulaia at the top of the Philippine International Chess Championship at Celebrity Sports Plaza in Quezon City.
Demchenco improved to 6.0 points, the same total of Pantsulaia, who was held to his second straight draw by Russian GM Mikhail Mozharov in the 10-round $30,000 tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.
The foreign GMs continued to lord it over the 38-player field with Georgian Merab Gagunashvili, Russian Ivan Popov, Mozharov and Armenian Avetik Grigoryan sharing third spot with 5.5 points each.
The top-seeded Popov (Elo 2622) beat GM Richard Bitoon after 51 moves of a Pirc Defense, while Gagunashvili and Avetik drew their match after 30 moves of a Caro Kann Defense. Handling black, Antonio, who beat International Master Haridas Pascua in the seventh round, surrendered after 55 moves of another Caro Kann and stayed at 5.0 points with five countrymen and Indian International Master Narayanan Sunilduth Lyna, who drew with GM Eugene Torre.
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