Eugene Torre leads with two rounds left in Battle of GMs chess tilt

MANILA,  Philippines – Ranged against younger and sometimes higher-rated players than himself, Grandmaster Eugene Torre was aware his chances of ruling the Battle of Grandmasters-National Chess Championships were pretty slim.       

Yet even to his own surprise, Torre, the oldest player in the 12-man field at 62, drew closer to his first national championship in over a decade Thursday, June 26, with two rounds left in the event serving as national team tryouts to the World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway.

Playing with the black pieces conservatively, he drew with International Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia in 30 moves of an English Opening to boost his pacesetting tally to 18.5 points after the nine rounds of the series held at the Philippine Sports Commission dining hall inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Torre was a half-point ahead of GM John Paul Gomez, who retained second place with 18 points after drawing with fellow GM Rogelio Barcennila in 31 moves of a Symmetrical English game. 

Sharing third place with 16.5 points each were Garcia and FIDE Master Paulo Bersamina, who was unable to exploit his rook-knight edge in the endgame over soon-to-be Woman International Master Janelle Mae Frayna’s lone rook. 

In the longest match of the competition thus far that lasted four hours and 30 minutes, both players finally settled for a draw after a marathon 113 moves of an English Opening, leaving Frayna all alone in fifth place with 15 points.   

“There are many young and stronger players in this field so I myself am surprised that I’m ahead,” said Torre, who became Asia’s first grandmaster in 1974 at the age of 22. 

The chess veteran actually seized the solo lead in the eighth round late Wednesday, June 25, with a victory over a rattled and time-pressured Frayna in 48 moves of a Trompkovsky Attack. 

“Janelle is quite promising and she gave me a lot of problems,” noted Torre of the 18-year-old Legaspi City native and Far Eastern University junior psychology student. 

The Iloilo City pride is seeking to represent the Philippines in the World Chess Olympiad for the 22^nd time since he made his debut in the event as National Master in Siegen, Germany in 1970. 

The only exception to Torre’s string of Olympiad stints was when he was appointed as coach of the Philippine squad when the competition was held in Dresden, Germany six years ago. 

Only GM Darwin Laylo, who drew his match with GM Richard Bitoon, in round 10 Friday, June 27, and Bersamina in the final round Saturday, June 28, stand in the way of Torre annexing his first national title since clinching the National Open crown in 2002. 

“I would like to play the two remaining rounds conservatively, but if there is an opening, of course I will go for a win,” he said.

The Battle of GMs champion and runner-up will be part of the national team in the Tromso, Olympiad, joining GMs Julio Catalino Sadorra, Oliver Barbosa and Wesley So, who was also seeded to the squad despite his intention  to transfer his membership to the United Chess Federation.

NCFP executive director,  GM Jayson Gonzales, said that should So fail to play for the PH squad the decision to fill the remaining slot will be left to NCFP president Prospero Pichay Jr. – Rappler.com