The Philippines demolished the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the ninth round, 4-0, Friday to boost its chance of a better performance at the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary.
US-based Grandmaster Julio Catalino Sadorra prevailed over super GM AR Saleh Salem after 35 moves of the King’s Indian Defense on board one at the BOK Sports Hall.
"I chose to play like Smyslov and used the Smyslov Variation against my opponent’s favorite King’s Indian,” Sadorra said, referring to former Russian world champion Vassily Smyslov.
GM Daniel Quizon won over Omran Al Hosani on board two, IM Paulo Bersamina defeated Sedrani Ammar on board three, and IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia hurdled Fareed Ahmed on board four.
The Philippines now has 12 match points, joining a big group in the Top 20, with two rounds remaining.
The country is hoping to duplicate, if not surpass, its seventh-place finish in the 1988 edition held in Thessaloniki, Greece.
GM Eugene Torre, who was the top board player in that tournament, is currently the coach of the men's squad.
The Filipinos will be up against the Georgians, all GMs, in the 10th round.
Sadorra, who coaches the University of Texas in Dallas team, has already earned six points out of seven games.
The other super GMs he beat were Vladimir Fedoseev (Slovenia), Haik Martirosyan (Armenia), and Ante Brkic (Croatia).
Sadorra, meanwhile, is third in the individual medal on board one with an Elo rating of 2845, behind India's Dommaraju Gukesh (3012) and Uzbekistan's Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2949).
Incidentally, Gukesh will challenge reigning world champion Ding Liren of China in the FIDE World Championship Match scheduled in Singapore from Nov. 20 to Dec. 15.
In the women's division, the Philippines bowed to Romania, 1-3.
Ruelle Canino delivered the lone point after an upset win over WGM Carmen Voicu-JJagodzinsky on board three.
WGM Janelle Frayna fell to Irina Bulmaga on board one, WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda dropped her game against Mihaela Sandu on board two, and WIM Bernadette Galas lost to Miruna-Daria Lehaci.
The Filipinas will be up against Iceland in the penultimate round.
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