The Philippines beat Uzbekistan 3.5-0.5 in the 6th round to trail in second and ensure qualification with leader China into the Semifinals of the 16th Asian Games at the Guangzhou Chess Institute in Guangzhou, China. Visit
www.chess-results.com for results and standings. Games are broadcast live on
www.asia-chess.comFilipino 17-year-old GM Wesley So drew safely with Asian Games individual champion Rustam Kasimjanov on top board. Joey Antonio and John Paul Gomez scored for the Philippines against GMs Anton Filipov and Alexey Barsov, respectively. Asia's first GM Eugene Torre completed the rout with a win in the endgame against GM Khamrakulov Dzhurabek.
China blanked Kyrgyzstan 4:0 to hold on to solo lead. China's Wang Hao, Bu Xiangzhi, Zhou Jianchao and Ni Hua outplayed Algis Shukuraliev, Nurdin Samakov, Nasyr Akylbekov and Semetey Tologontegin. China has 12 match points followed by the Philippines with 10 and India with 8. The top four teams advance to the knockout semifinals.
India kept pace by outclassing Qatar 3.5-0.5. Indian GMs P. Harikrishna, Kirhnan Sasikiran and Surya Shekhar Ganguly beat GM Mohamd Al-Modiahki, GM Mohammed Al-Sayed and IM Nezad Husein Aziz, respectively. Qatar's Hamad Al-Tamimi prevented a shut-out by holding India's G.N.Gopal to a draw.
Vietnam kept its qualification hopes alive, playing to a 2:2 draw against Kazakhstan. Kazak GM Murtas Kazhgaleyev beat highly rated Le Quang Liem of Vietnam but GM Cao Sang evened the score at the expense of Yevgeniy Vladimirov. Kazhakstan's Rinat Jumabayev and Rustam Khusnutdinov drew with Vietnam's GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong son and FM Nguyen Duc Hoa.
Iran outclassed Iraq 3.5-0.5 on wins by GMs Ghaem Maghami Ehsan on top board and GM Mahjoob Morteza and IM Golizadeh Asghar on 3rd and 4th board against IM Al-Saffar Araz Basim Mohammed, Abdul Wahab Ahmed and Dhamir Jabar Al-Yahya, respectively. On board 2, Al-Ali Hyssein Ali Hussein saved Iraq fron a drubbing by holding GM Elshan Moradiabadi to a draw.
Iran and Kyrgyzstan have 7 match points each. Six teams trail with 6 match points each: Bangladesh, Vietnam, Qatar, Kazakhstan, Yemnen and Uzbekistan.
In other matches in the men's division, Bangladesh beat Monagolia 2.5-1.5, Yemen smashed Korea 3.5-0.5 and Jordan beat Maldives 3:1. India and Iran are paired in tomorrow's last preliminary qualification round. Almost surely the fourth qualification place will be determined by tiebreak of game points.
The China-Uzbekistan Match on stage under the watchful eye of Arbiter Nguyen Anh-Thu.China and India, tied for the lead with 11 match points each, have already qualified into the Semifinals.
China beatg Uzbekistan 3:1 on wins by GMs Hou Yifan and Zhao Xue over WIM Nafisa Muminova and Yulduz Hamrakulova, respectively. Uzbekistan's WIM Olga Sabirova and Nodira Nodirjanova split the point with WGMs Ju Wenjun and Huang Qian, respectivelly.
India kept pace, drubbing Bangladesh 3.5-0.5 on wins by IM Eesha Karavade and WGMs Subbaraman Meenakshi and Nisha Mohota. Former World Girls Champion Harika Dronavallli of India was held to a draw by WFM Shamima Akter Liza.
