Sadorra wins but Pinoys lose

by | Sep 18, 2024

 

 

BUDAPEST. — The Philippines missed out on a potential upset as it fell to former world champion Armenia 2.5-1.5 and crashed out of the top 10 after six rounds of the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad at the BOK Sports Hall Monday night here.

The Filipinos appeared headed to adding another scalp in their growing collection when Grandmaster Julio Catalino Sadorrra caught his second super GM in Haik Martirosyan on board one with the rest of the lower boards—Daniel Quizon, Paulo Bersamina and John Paul Gomez—all fighting for draws.

But Quizon and Gomez fell to super GMs Shant Sargsyan and Robert Hovhannisyan and Bersamina couldn’t find anything from his one pawn edge and settled for a draw with super GM Gabriel Sargissian that sealed the Filipinos’ fate.

From a share of No. 7, the Filipinos, whose trip was bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission and backed by NCFP chief Butch Pichay, stumbled to a share of No. 21 with eight match points.

If there was silver lining in the defeat, it was Sadorra’s masterful win over Martirosyan as the University of Texas in Dallas coach brilliantly won a piece in a tight positional skirmish.

Martirosyan was Sadorra’s second super GM victim. He stunned Vladimir Fedoseev in the country’s 2-5-1.5 upset of Slovenia the day before.

The Filipinas sprang back to life with a 3-1 destruction of Bolivia with Shania Mae Mendoza, Janelle Mae Frayna and Jan Jodilyn Fronda delivering victories on the top boards.

The lone casualty was Bernadette Galas, who lost to Jessica Molina on board four.

The triumph shoved the team, mentored by GMs Jayson Gonzales and Eugene Torre with Atty. Ruel Canobas as delegation head, back in the thick of things as it shared No. 22 with a big group of eight pointers.

The 11-round tournament, which drew a record 196 in the men’s division and 181 in the women’s side, took a break Tuesday and will resume Wednesday for the final five-round windup.

The Filipinos, seeded 51st, battle the 27th seed Croatians while the Filipinas, seeded 47th, clash with the 26th pick Argentines, eyeing a win that would keep their hopes of contending alive.

“We recharge and we fight another day,” said Gonzales, also the NCFP chief executive officer.

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