Laylo draws Torre, keeps zonal lead

Standings after round 6

5.0 points — GM Darwin Laylo (Philippines)

4.5 points — GM Eugene Torre (PH), GM Mark Paragua (PH), GM Susanto Megaranto (Indonesia), IM Goh Wei Ming (Singapore)

4.0 points — GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. (PH), FM Jan Emmanuel Garcia (PH), GM Zhang Zhong (Singapore), GM Dao Thien Hai (Vietnam)

FILIPINO Grandmaster (GM) Darwin Laylo settled for his second straight draw late Friday this time against compatriot GM Eugene Torre to retain his half-a-point lead after six rounds of the 2011 Asian Zone 3.3 Chess Championships at the Tagaytay International Convention Center.

Laylo, a member of the Philippine Team who bagged the silver medal in last year’s Guangzhou Asian Games, raised his total to 5.0 points on four wins and two draws.

With the draw, the 59-year-old Torre, Asia’s first Grandmaster, padded his tally to 4.5 points, the same output of compatriot GM Mark Paragua, GM Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia and IM Go Wei Ming of Singapore.

Paragua, who held Laylo to a fighting draw in Friday’s fifth round, defeated GM Cao Sang of Vietnam, Megaranto toppled top seed GM Zhang Zhong of Singapore while Goh edged IM Richard Bitoon of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, 12-time National Open champion GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr., and FM Jan Emmanuel Garcia of the Philippines, defeated their respective rivals to share 6th to 9th place in the company of Zhang and GM Dao Thien Hai, who beat fellow Vietnamese IM Nguyen Van Huy.

Antonio routed Vietnamese FM Nguyen Doc Hoa while Garcia stunned GM Nguyen Anh Dung of Vietnam.

In the seventh round, Laylo battles Goh, Paragua faces Megaranto, Torre plays Zhang while Antonio squares off against Dao.

aylo, seeded only seventh in the tough 48-player field with an Elo of 2516, kept his composure and reached a truce with the hard-fighting Torre by repetition of moves after 32 moves of the Trompovsky.

The draw enabled the 31-year-old campaigner, who is seeking his third appearance in the World Chess Cup, to keep the solo lead with five points on four wins and two draws in the nine-round competition. Laylo remains half a point ahead of Torre, GM Mark Paragua, GM Wei Meing Goh of Singapore and Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia in the chase for the two World Cup qualifiying berths at stake here.

Paragua, who is hoping to recapture the top spot in local chess hierarchy, outduelled GM Cao Sang of Vietnam to remain within striking distance with 4.5 points.

Goh, one of two Singaporeans in the field, continued his surprising run when he toppled IM Richard Bitoon.

Megaranto, on the other hand, shocked GM Zhang Zhong of Singapore to make it a four-way tie for second to fifth places with 4.5 points.

GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. trounced GM Nguyen Duc Hoa, whlile newly crowned Asian Youth under-16 gold medalist Jan Emmanuel Garcia stunned GM Nguyen Anh Dung I to vault into contention with four points.

Also making their presence felt on another big day for the Filipinos were reigning national junior champion Mari Joseph Turqueza, who toppled IM Taufik Halay of Indonesia; IM Oliver Dimakiling, who subdued Myagmarsuren Gunbayar of Mongolia; Alcon John Datu, who crushed FM Kahmiran of Indonesia; and FM Randy Segarra, who beat compatriot Reggie Edgar Olay.

The win improved Laylo’s record to 4.5 points after five rounds, half-a-point ahead of GM Eugene Torre and GM Zhang Zhong of Singapore.

Torre, 59, displayed vintage form to subdue GM Nguyen Duc Hoa of Vietnam in 37 moves of the Reti and vault into a two-way tie for second with Zhang with four points.

“It was a complicated position, but somehow I found a winning line,” said Torre who now has won his last four matches following a shock defeat at the hands of FM Haridas Pascua in the opening round.

Zhang, the highest-rated player here with an ELO of 2592, outwitted IM Oliver Dimakiling and GM Nguyen.

Five players, led by Paragua and IM Richard Bitoon, shared fourth with 3.5 points.

Paragua drew with Nguyen and Laylo , while Bitoon outclassed compatriot Alcon John Datu and then drew with GM Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia.

GMs Rogelio Antonio Jr. and John Paul Gomez battled to a draw, as did IM Oliver Barbosa and IM Wei Ming Goh of Singapore to lead a big group of players with three points.

Also with the group is Asian Youth 16-under gold medalist IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia, who trounced Surya Wahyudi of Indonesia. Garcia drew with Haikiki Kaisar.