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Standings after nine rounds:
16 points -– Ukraine
15 -– Russia-1, France
14 – Israel, China, United States
13 -– Georgia, Poland, Spain, Armenia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Serbia, Italy.
12 -– Russia-2, Greece, Cuba, England, Russia-3, Netherlands, Chile, Colombia, Estonia, Egypt
11 -– Croatia, Vietnam, Norway, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Austria, Germany, India, Brazil, Slovenia, Philippines, Kazakhstan, Russia-4, Montenegro, Switzerland, Sweden, Kyrgyzstan, Argentina, Denmark, Canada, Qatar.

KHANTY-MANSIYSK, Russia, Oct.1 (PNA) -– The Philippines fashioned out a vengeful 4-0 rout of former Russian republic Turkmenistan in the crucial ninth round of the 39th World Chess Olympiad with GM Wesley So again leading the way with another resounding victory with the black pieces.

A day after holding former world champion GM Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria to a draw in the eighth round, So left nothing to chance to cut down GM Mesgen Amanov in 48 moves of the Gruenfeld and lead the 37th–seeded Filipinos to a morale-boosting triumph with only two rounds left in this prestigious tournament dubbed as the “Olympics’ of chess.

GMs Darwin Laylo and Eugene Torre and IM Richard Bitoon also swept their respective matches against the lower-rated and less-experienced Turks to cap the Filipinos’ second shutout victory since a 4-0 win over Korea in the first round.

Laylo, who took the place of GM John Paul Gomez on board two, trounced IM Meylis Annaberdiev (ELO 2465) in 52 moves of English opening to level his record to 3-1-3 win-draw-loss for 3.5 points.

Torre whipped FM Kasat Atabayev (ELO 2318) in 58 moves of the Owen’s defense and raised his personal record to 89 wins, 14 draws and 39 losses in record 243 games in 20 Olympiad appearances spanning 40 years from 1970 to 2010.

The 58-year-old Torre, who became Asia’s first GM in the 1974 Nice Olympiad, also broke a tie with GM Miguel Najdorf of Argentina for second most points in Olympiad history. The Filipino now has 146 points, one point ahead of Najdorf (145 points) for second all-time but way behind GM Lajos Portisch (176.5 points) of Hungary.

Bitoon crushed FM Yusup Atabayev (ELO 2313) in 41 moves of the English to remain as the Filipinos’ leading scorer with 5.5 points on four wins, three draws and one loss in eight games

Overall, the Filipinos are now tied for 27th to 47th places with 11 points on five wins, one draw and three losses in this tough, 11-round tournament being held in this oil-producing region in Ugra Valley in Western Siberia.

Ukraine defeated Azerbaijan, 2.5-1.5, despite the loss of GM Vassily Ivanchuk to GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov to keep a one-point lead over top seed Russia-1 and France with only two rounds left.

GM Pavel Eljanov outdueled GM Rauf Mamedov while Zahar Efimenko bested GM Eltaj Safarli to clinch the win for the second-seeded Ukrainians.

Russia- 1 beat defending champion Armenia, 2.5-1.5, in another battle of heavyweights with GM Peter Svidler providing the decisive win over GM Gabriel Sargissian, France edged Georgia, 2.5-1.5, on victory by GM Sebastian Feller over GM Tamaz Gelashvili on board four.

Israel toppled Hungary, 2.5-1.5, China humbled Cuba, 2.5-1.5 and the United States downed Bulgaria, 2.5-1.5, to share fourth to sixth places with 14 points.

Based on official tiebreaks, the Filipinos are in 37th place, exactly the same seeding they have in this two-week long competition which attracted a total of 741 players from 145 countries including 242 GMs and 123 IMs.

The Filipinos get another chance to improve their rankings when they meet No. 26 seed Argentina in the 10th and penultimate round late Friday (Manila time).

Led by GMs Diego Flores (ELO 2615) and Ruben Felgaer (ELO 2597), the all-GM Argentina whipped Lithuania, 3-1, in the ninth round.

It will be So against Flores, GM John Paul Gomez against Felgaer, Torre against GM Fernando Peralta (ELO 2572) and Bitoon against GM Pablo Lafuente (ELO 2565).

In the women’s division, the Philippines completed a twin kill by humbling Bolivia, 3.5-.5 despite resting top board player Cheradee Chardine Camacho for the first time in nine rounds.

Catherine Perena dumped WIM Daniela Cordero, Rulp Ylem Jose outclassed WFM Raisa Luna and Jedara Docena overpowered Gabriela Solis.

Shercila Cua failed to complete a sweep when she settled for a board two draw with Eugenia Ramirez.

The win propelled the 52nd-seeded Filipinas to a share of 34th to 52nd places with 10 points on four wins, two draws and three losses.

In the 10th round, the Cesar Caturla-coached Filipinas will meet Southeast Asian rival Indonesia.

Camacho will play top board anew against close friend WGM Irine Kharisma Sukandar.

Perena battles Vina Lestari, Jose meets Citra Dewi and Docena faces Monica Sihite.

Top seed Russia-1 edged Serbia, 2.5-1.5, to virtually capture the title with a perfect score of 18 points on nine wins in nine matches.

Five countries – China, Ukraine, Georgia, India and Bulgaria – shared second to sixth places with 14 points.

China outplayed Hungary, 3-1, Ukraine humbled Croatia, 3.5-.5, Georgia downed Russia-2, 2.5-1.5, India nipped Cuba, 2.5-1.5; and Bulgaria overwhelmed Romania, 3-1. (PNA)
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