De Guzman rebounds, posts win in Asian seniors online chess tiff

MANILA, Philippines – International Master Ricky de Guzman overcame a first-round defeat to lead a 1-2-3 finish by the Philippines in the Zone 3.3 qualifier of the Asian Seniors Online Chess Championships Wednesday night.

De Guzman, 58, succumbed to Malaysian Lee Soi Hock in the opening round but recovered his wits and swept his last six games including a final-round triumph over Indonesian Rudijanto Majella to end up on top with countrymen Rudy Ibanez and Grandmaster Joey Antonio with six points apiece.

The former Asian Junior champion and eight-time Illinois, US titlist eventually took the top spot after edging Ibanez, a National Master, and Antonio by amassing the highest tiebreak score.

Ibanez, who is coaching Arellano and Polytechnic University of the Philippines, took second while Antonio third.

The 58-year-old Antonio, who is part of the national team seeing action in the first FIDE Online Olympiad late this month, zoomed to the solo lead after winning his first five outings but slowed down by two straight draws against Filipino NM Jonathan Tan and Indonesian IM Dede Lioe in the last two.

It was a dominating effort by the Filipinos as seven of them occupied the top 10 including IM Petronio Roca, Tan, IM Chito Garma and Rolzon Roullo.

But only de Guzman, Ibanez and Antonio will make it to the final round of the event where the top three from all Asian zones will play a nine-round Swiss System format Tuesday.