Standings after four rounds:
8 points –Russia-1, Germany
7 — Poland-1, Poland-2, India-1
6 — Israel, Philippines-1, Russia-3, Vietnam, Poland-3, Hungary, Ukraine-3, Ukraine-1, Croatia.
THE Philippines settled for a fighting 2-2 draw with Israel in their keenly-watched fourth round encounter in the first FIDE Online Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities.
IPCA world champion FM Sander Severino outduelled GM Yaacov Zilberman and Darry Bernardo toppled IM Arkady Shevelev to clinch the much-needed victories for the Filipinos in this unique online tournament organized by FIDE as part of the United Nations “International Day of Persons with Disabilities” celebrations on Dec. 3.
The wins also helped the third-seeded Filipinos to draw level with the Israelis, who struck on victories by IM Andrei Gurbanov and WFM Aleksandra Aleksandrova on boards two and four, respectively.
Gurbanov subdued AGM Henry Lopez while Aleksandrova nipped Cheyzer Crystal Mendoza.
With six match points, the James Infiestoa -mentored Filipinos are tied sixth to 14th places after four rounds of competition in this 60-team tournament which attracted a total of 395 players, from 44 countries.
“The match could have gone either way,” reported veteran journalist Ignacio Dee.
“Sander Severino was losing but recovered, Cheyser Crystal Mendoza misplayed a very good position to lose, Henry Lopez should not have lost the R and B endgame but Darry Bernardo prevailed, a piece up,” he added.
Team Philippines-2 relied on Max Dave Tellor and Cheryl Angot to salvage a 2-2 draw with Brazil and remain in a tie for 22nd to 36th places with four points.
Tellor humbled Marcia Maria Dias Lopes and Angot downed Tiago Dias Polo on boards three and four, respectively.
Not as fortunate were top board players Menendro Redor and Felix Aguilera, who lost to Adriano Barata and Jose Eduardo Maia, respectively.
Overall, Russia-1 whipped Croatia, 4-0, and Germany routed Ukraine-1, 3.5-,5, to keep the led with perfect scores of eight points.
Top seed Poland-1, Poland 2, and India 1 complete the top five leaders.
Poland-1 and India-1 battled to a 2-2 draw, while Poland-2 dumped Ukraane-2, 3.5-.5.
Fifth-round matches should provide another big test for Philippines-1, which will go up against Poland-1.
Philippines-2 will take on Colombia-2 in the other fifth round encounter.
The Filipinos’ campaign in the tournament is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), and the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP).
The moves:
Round 4
Y. Zilberman (israel) vs. S. Severino (PH)
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. Qa4+ Nbd7 6. e4 c5 7. d5 Qb6 8. dxe6 fxe6 9. Bxc4 h6 10. e5 Ng8 11. O-O Ne7 12. Rd1 Nf5 13. Bb5 Qc7 14. Bc4 Qb6 15. Bb5 Qc7 16. g4 Nd4 17. Nxd4 cxd4 18. Qxd4 a6 19. Bxd7+ Bxd7 20. Ne4 Bc6 21. Bf4 Be7 22. Nd6+ Bxd6 23. exd6 Qf7 24. Rd3 O-O 25. Be5 Qg6 26. Rg3 Rf7 27. Rc1 Raf8 28. f4 Bd5 29. b3 Bc6 30. Qe3 a5 31. a4 Bd5 32. h3 Bc6 33. Kh2 Bd5 34. Qd4 Bc6 35. Qe3 Bd5 36. Rgg1 Bc6 37. Rc3 Bd5 38. Rcc1 Bc6 39. Rcf1 Qh7 40. g5 hxg5 41. Rxg5 Qc2+ 42. Rf2 Qb1 43. Rg1 Qh7 44. Qd4 Rc8 45. Qe3 Bd5 46. Qg3 Rc2 47. Rf1 Rxf2+ 48. Rxf2 Qb1 49. Qg1 Qxb3 50. Qa1 Qc4 51. Qd4 Qc1 52. Qa1 Qe3 53. Qd4 Qe1 54. Rc2 Qh1+ 55. Kg3 Qf3+ 56. Kh2 Kh7 57. Re2 Qxe2+ 0-1
H. Lopez (PH) vs A. Gurbanov (Israel)
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 a6 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Be7 7. e3 O-O 8. Bd3 Be6 9. O-O Nbd7 10. Rc1 h6 11. Bf4 c5 12. dxc5 Nxc5 13. Nd4 Qd7 14. Bb1 Rac8 15. Nxe6 fxe6 16. b4 Nce4 17. Nxe4 Nxe4 18. Rxc8 Qxc8 19. Bxe4 dxe4 20. Qg4 e5 21. Qxc8 Rxc8 22. Bxe5 Bxb4 23. g4 b5 24. Rb1 Be7 25. Rb2 Rc5 26. Bf4 Kf7 27. Kg2 Ke6 28. Rd2 Rc4 29. f3 exf3+ 30. Kxf3 Ra4 31. h3 Ra3 32. Ke4 Ra4+ 33. Kf3 g5 34. Bg3 Ra3 35. Ke4 Bc5 36. Bf2 Ra4+ 37. Kf3 Rc4 38. h4 gxh4 39. Bxh4 h5 40. Rg2 Ra4 41. Be1 hxg4+ 42. Rxg4 Rxa2 43. Rg6+ Kd5 44. e4+ Kc4 45. Rc6 b4 46. Bh4 b3 47. Be7 Ra5 48. Bxc5 Rxc5 49. Rxa6 b2 0-1
A. Shevelev (Israel) vs. D. Bernardo (PH)
1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4 Nc6 5. Bf4 Bg4 6. c3 e6 7. Qb3 Bd6 8. Qxb7 Bxf4 9. Qxc6+ Kf8 10. Ne5 Bxe5 11. dxe5 Qb8 12. f4 Ne7 13. Qb5 Qc7 14. Qb4 Rb8 15. Qd6 Qxd6 16. exd6 Nc8 17. d7 Nd6 18. Nd2 Ke7 19. h3 Bf5 0-1
