So joint 2nd, claims WC berth

MANILA, Philippines - Wesley So drew his final round match with fellow GM Zhou Jianchao of China to finish tied for second in the ninth Asian Individual Chess Championships yesterday and clinch a berth in next year’s World Cup.

Needing only a draw to assure himself of another stint in the World Cup, So readily agreed to halve the point with Zhou of China to finish with 6.5 points in a tie with GM Abjiheet Gupta of India, Le Quang Liem of Vietnam and Zhou at the Subic Exhibition and Convention Center in Subic.

“I’m happy to make it to the World Cup again,” said So, who scored upset victories over former world championship candidates GM Gata Kamsky of the United States and Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine in last year’s World Cup.

“I really wanted to finish the tournament unbeaten, but I committed a slight mistake and he (Ni) was quick to capitalize,” said So, referring to the highly rated Chinese player whom he beat during the World Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany two years ago.

So and Jianchao used only 10 minutes and 14 moves before agreeing to draw their Berlin Opening game.

But it was all the 16-year-old Filipino champion needed to ensure his second straight appearance in the World Cup where he made an impressive Last 16 finish the last time out.

So had five wins, three draws and only one loss in the nine-round tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) for the third time in four years.

His setback to Ni in the seventh round Tuesday stalled So’s title drive with the Chinese ace also drawing his final round match with Gupta to emerge the solo champion with 7 points. Ni won $6,000.

Joining Ni and So in the World Cup are Gupta, Zhou and Liem.

Liem clinched the fifth and last berth to the World Cup by humbling GM Liren Ding of China.

Meanwhile, national junior standout Jan Emmanuel Garcia toppled GM Saleh Salem of UAE to emerge the second-best Filipino performer with 5.5 points.

Game 4: Anand leads by one point after the second Catalan opening in the match

The fourth game of the FIDE World Chess Championship match between Viswanathan Anand of India and Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria saw another Catalan opening on the board. This is the first opening that was played twice in the match, the players are obviously willing to have a theoretical discussion.

Topalov was the one to deviate from the second game, as early as on move 5, when he played the sharper Bb4+ instead of a6.

Similar to the earlier Catalan game, Black clutched onto the extra pawn while White tried to take advantage of his faster pieces' development.

Anand aggressively advanced in the center to break opponent's pawn formation and open up the files and diagonals. At the same time, Topalov was carefully clearing the queenside in order to reduce the positional pressure.

The game appeared to be taking a normal course but then Anand's sudden Knight movement (e3-g4) caught Topalov without guard and on the wrong foot.

Not hesitating much, Anand knocked a piece sacrifice on h6 and picked a strong attack against the Black King.

Still precision was needed in carrying out the assault, but Anand never blinked and found the crushing 25. e5!

Topalov continued for a few moves more, but resigned at the imminent danger of a mate. Anand takes the lead in the match 2,5-1,5, tomorrow is a rest day and the games continue on Friday at 15:00.

Fischer remains to be exhumed?

MANILA, Philippines - In a bizarre twist to the battle for the estate left by the late chess legend Bobby Fischer, lawyer Sammy Estimo hoped the remains of the chess icon will be exhumed soon.

Estimo, lawyer of Fischer’s Filipino child, Jinky Young, said that Judge Sigrun Gudmundsdottir of the Icelandic probate court found no DNA samples of Fischer at the National Hospital in Iceland where the ex-world champion died on Jan. 17, 2008 of renal failure.

This prompted Estimo and his collaborating Icelandic lawyer, Thordur Bogason to request the court to issue an order for the exhumation of Fischer’s remains for DNA samples to be tested with the blood samples extracted from Jinky when she went to Iceland in December last year.

Jinky, Fischer’s nephews and the Japanese Miyoko Watai, who claims to have married Fischer in 2004, are claimants to the $140 million and gold deposits left by the chess genius at the Landsbanki in Reykjavik. Fischer also purchased real estate properties in Iceland where he became a citizen after his release from a Japanese airport prison in 2005.

In a decision issued by the Supreme Court of Iceland in December last year, Watai’s marriage to Fischer was invalidated because of the failure of the Japanese to present the original of their alleged marriage certificate.

On April 16, Judge Gudmundsdottir will resolve the request of Jinky for the disinterment of her father’s remains in a cemetery in Selfoss town, south Iceland.

Lapus age group chessfest slated

MANILA, Philippines - The National Chess Academy (NCA), a privately run chess skills training and development institution, will hold the first Sec. Jesli Lapus Cup National Students age group chess championship starting next month.

The event, held in cooperation with the Department of Education (DepEd) and sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, will consist of four legs, including the National Capital Region, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Registration for the NCR leg, slated April 19-21 at the Pasay City Sports Complex, is ongoing. Only on-line registration will be accepted with fee pegged at P200.

Registration site is http://www.batobalani.com/onlineregistration/

The age group tournament, open to all school-ID bearing students, will have the boys and girls divisions.

Each category will consist of three events, under-12, under-16 and under-20.

According to NCFP vice-president Bro. Rolando Dizon, the objective of the tournament is for the NCA to contribute to the chess activities, which the DepEd is mandated to introduce and propagate in all private and public schools in the country.

The champion will receive P3,000 cash plus trophy and gold medal, while the second and third placers will receive P2,000 and 1,000 plus medals, respectively.

For inquiries, contact FA Ricky Navalta at 0920-9231150 or 893-8501.

Magnolia non-master meet up

MANILA, Philippines - The 27th edition of first Saturday Magnolia non-master summer chess tournament will be held April 10 at the Perez Building, Dona Soledad cor. Australia Sts, Better Living in Parañaque.

Cash prizes, trophies and Magnolia gift packs are at stake in the senior, kiddies and ladies categories.

The seven-round Swiss system tournament is organized by the Barangay Don Bosco Chess Club (BDBCC) headed by adviser Bong Perez and sponsored by Mayor Florencio Bernabe, Vice Mayor Gus Tambunting, Rep. Roilo Golez, Barangay Don Bosco chairman Jun Virata, Magnolia Health Tea Drinks, KFC, Chowking, SM City Bicutan, Jollibee, Boy Francisco and Ed Pascual.

Registration fee is P250 and while the kiddies fee is pegged at P150. For details pls. contact Cecil Padua 09235297465 or Bong Perez (02) 546-3714, (02) 383-4996, 0919-722-7552.

So to grace Pamintuan chess

MANILA, Philippines - GMs Wesley So and Eugene Torre will grace the first Edgardo Pamintuan Chess Cup on April 6 at the Marquee Mall Activity Center in Angeles City, Pampanga.

Hundreds of players and chess enthusiasts from various schools, barangays and organizations in this city are expected to join the event held in honor of the former mayor.

Organizers said more than 70 players have so far registered for the seven-round Swiss system tournament.