SHERRIE SHINES
LOMIBAO SAVES DAY FOR R.P. AS MEN’S TEAM CRUMBLEs AGAINST THE GREAT WALL

The Philippines found out about one Great Wall Monday night as the Chinese men’s team impeded the nationals’ march in the 37th World Chess Olympiad in Turin, Italy.
       While its male counterparts crashed, the RP women’s team found consolation after enabling a 1.5-1.5 draw with Iran.
       Sherrie Joy Lomibao, playing Board One, defeated Women’s International Master Atousa Pourkashiyan to force the stalemate and cushion the blow to the men’s campaign.
       Still at a high after its convincing win over powerhouse Iceland on Sunday, the men’s team took all it could handle against one of Asia’s elite national teams, the Filipinos losing, 3.5-0.5
       The Chinese made minced meat of Olympiad first-timers National Master Darwin Laylo and Fide Master Oliver Dimakiling, as well as the country’s top player Grandmaster Mark Paragua.
       GM Zhang Penxiang took 43 moves of a Center-Counter Game to beat Laylo, GM Wang Yue 44 moves of a Veresov Opening against Dimakiling and GM Bu Xiangzhi 59 moves of a Slav Defense against Paragua, who played black.
       GM Joey Antonio forced GM Zhang Zhong to a draw after 63 moves of a Ruy-Lopez opening on Board Two to escape the broom.
       The men’s team is now hard-pressed to surpass the 19-place finish it registered in 2004, picking up only 18.5 points after the defeat to occupy 35th to 40th places and join the company of Poland, England, Estonia and Mexico.
       Paragua and company, seeded 35th in the tournament, next face Romania—again an all-GM quartet. The No.15-seeded foreigners easily disposed of No.69 Tunisia, 3-1, in round eight.
       The Chinese, meanwhile, hiked their total to 21.5 points and join France, the USA and Georgia from fourth to seventh places.
       The women’s team, on the other hand, is poised to better its 48-place finish from the last Olympiad.
       Lomibao and her teammates have raked in 13.0 points to share 36th to 41st places with Iran, Turkmenistan, Switzerland and Sweden.
       Also included in that cluster is Turkey, the women’s next opponent.
       “Nang nakita ko na natalo si Sherily [Cua] at tabla naman ang game ni Catherine [Pereña] ay talagang pinilit kong manalo para kahit papano ay maka-draw tayo sa board matches,” Lomibao said.
       Meanwhile, No.3 Armenia trounced No. 18 Cuba, 3-1, and hiked its total to 24.0 points after eight rounds. Tournament favorites Russia, which was forced to a 2-2 standoff by Czech Republic, stood at second place with 22.0 points together with Ukraine, which defeated Sweden, 3-1.
       On the women’s side, top seed Russia drew with the USA, 1.5-1.5, but still maintained the leadership with 19.0 points. Ukraine, which humbled Hungary, 2-1, continued to stay behind with 18.5 points.
       China, the division’s defending champion, bounced back in contention after blanking Latvia, 3-0, and tie the USA at third with 17.0 points.