PH chess team shows class in 2010 Asian Games

It has been a sweet sailing for the Philippine Men Chess Team in the 2010 Asian Games - Team Standard Chess event. After Round 6, the No.6-seed Philippine Team is now proudly occupying the No.2 spot, only after the No.1-seed China Team.

Let's review our team's journey to the sweet No.2 ranking after six rounds of play:

Round 1
The PH Team reminded the Iraqis of the difference of an all-GM team from an IM-led squad, though the wins were hardly fought over the board. The most valuable service of GM Wesley So was reserved - certainly a well calculated move.

Bo.	14	Iraq	Rtg	-	6	Philippines	Rtg	1 : 3
6.1	IM	Al-Saffar Araz Basim Mohammed	2349	-	GM	Antonio Rogelio Jr	2573	½ - ½
6.2	FM	Al-Ali Hussein Ali Hussein	2363	-	GM	Gomez John Paul	2522	½ - ½
6.3		Abdul Wahab Ahmed	2309	-	GM	Laylo Darwin	2527	0 - 1
6.4		Dhamir Jabar Al-Yahya	0	-	GM	Torre Eugenio	2484	0 - 1

Round 2
Only the Chinese team was able to beat the Philippine team. But take note, the loss wasn't that easy for the host team. The No.1 Filipino chess player met the No.1 Chinese player in Board 1, the kind of game which more than offset the team's loss. Watch the game and feel like a winner.

Bo.	6	Philippines	Rtg	-	1	China	Rtg	1 : 3
1.1	GM	So Wesley	2669	-	GM	Wang Yue	2756	½ - ½
1.2	GM	Antonio Rogelio Jr	2573	-	GM	Bu Xiangzhi	2680	½ - ½
1.3	GM	Gomez John Paul	2522	-	GM	Zhou Jianchao	2669	0 - 1
1.4	GM	Laylo Darwin	2527	-	GM	Ni Hua	2633	0 - 1

Round 3
It was indeed a confidence-booster for the Filipino chess heroes. Remember that Team Bangladesh dented so much shame on Team China in Round 1 after posting a very solid opposition. For the Philippine Team, routing the Bangladesh warriors made the Pinoys feel better than the Chinese. GM Wesley So finished off his opponent in only after 27 moves.

Bo.	9	Bangladesh	Rtg	-	6	Philippines	Rtg	1 : 3
4.1	GM	Murshed Niaz	2429	-	GM	So Wesley	2669	0 - 1
4.2	FM	Minhazuddin Ahmed	2350	-	GM	Antonio Rogelio Jr	2573	0 - 1
4.3	GM	Rahman Ziaur	2527	-	GM	Gomez John Paul	2522	½ - ½
4.4	FM	Abu Sufian Shakil	2340	-	GM	Torre Eugenio	2484	½ - ½

Round 4
Demolishing a higher-rated team adds something heavenly to the win. Our team nipped the No.3-seed all-GM Kazakhstan squadron. It was a very difficult job, though. GM John Paul Gomez delivered the deciding blow. Hail to "The Pope."

Bo.	6	Philippines	Rtg	-	3	Kazakhstan	Rtg	2½:1½
2.1	GM	So Wesley	2669	-	GM	Kazhgaleyev Murtas	2623	½ - ½
2.2	GM	Antonio Rogelio Jr	2573	-	GM	Sadvakasov Darmen	2627	½ - ½
2.3	GM	Gomez John Paul	2522	-	GM	Jumabayev Rinat	2571	1 - 0
2.4	GM	Torre Eugenio	2484	-	GM	Khusnutdinov Rustam	2524	½ - ½

Round 5
Ahhhhh, let's savor it again and again and again. Our team reminded their Indian counterparts that the reigning world champion GM Anand learned his elementary chess in the Philippines. Again, demolishing a higher-rated team adds something heavenly to the win. GM Wesley So erased the "Hari" from GM Harikrishna in Board 1. The country's No.2 strongest player GM Antonio displayed a masterful endgame prowess against India's No.2 strongest player GM Sasikiran by essaying a 107-mover draw with the Black pieces. After the game, GM Antonio said "Sana po, matigil na ang istorya na namimili ako ng kulay." A colorful plea. GM Eugene Torre reminded his opponent that the first grandmaster in Asia came from the Philippines and not from India - and it happened to be himself!

Bo.	6	Philippines	Rtg	-	2	India	Rtg	2½:1½
2.1	GM	So Wesley	2669	-	GM	Harikrishna P	2657	1 - 0
2.2	GM	Antonio Rogelio Jr	2573	-	GM	Sasikiran Krishnan	2688	½ - ½
2.3	GM	Gomez John Paul	2522	-	GM	Ganguly Surya Shekhar	2644	0 - 1
2.4	GM	Torre Eugenio	2484	-	GM	Adhiban B	2515	1 - 0

Round 6
Former FIDE world champ GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov seemed happy enough to forge a bloodless draw against the country's Pambansang Utak. The war was left to the lower boards. To the nightmare of Kasimdzhanov, it was a complete destruction of the kingdom of Uzbekistan in the lower boards! Fittingly, the match against Uzbekistan reminded me of an old Filipino saying: "Ang masarap na tubo (sugarcane), matamis mula puno hanggang dulo."

Bo.	5	Uzbekistan	Rtg	-	6	Philippines	Rtg	½ :3½
2.1	GM	Kasimdzhanov Rustam	2685	-	GM	So Wesley	2669	½ - ½
2.2	GM	Filippov Anton	2620	-	GM	Antonio Rogelio Jr	2573	0 - 1
2.3	GM	Barsov Alexei	2507	-	GM	Gomez John Paul	2522	0 - 1
2.4	IM	Khamrakulov Dzhurabek	2482	-	GM	Torre Eugenio	2484	0 - 1