The Philippines men’s team bounced back with a 3-1 victory over Nigeria in the Open division Sunday, but the women’s team crashed back to earth in the third round of the 42nd World Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Grandmaster Eugene Torre (ELO 2447) rolled to his third straight win at board two at the expense of FIDE Master Anwuli Daniel (2336) in 45 moves.
Playing white for the third straight time, Torre built an advantage in the opening, but Daniel somehow managed to equalize in the middlegame.
A dubious 35th move by Daniel, however, led to massive exchanges of major pieces that left Torre with a winning endgame.
GM John Paul Gomez (2492), playing the top board, and GM Rogelio Barcenilla (2455), on board three, rebounded from previous defeats by steering the black pieces to victories.
Gomez outclassed FIDE Master FM Bomo Kigigha (2340) following a solid middlegame in which he controlled the c-file with two rooks.
Kigigha, already a piece down, resigned after 35 moves.
Barcenilla, on the other hand, had three queens on the board when he forced Oladapo Adu (2334) to resign in 45 moves.
The only Filipino casualty was International Master Paulo Bersamina, who was punished by Adeyinka Adesina (2259) for his reckless opening with white after 47 moves.
All four players return Monday to play Costa Rica in the fourth round.
GM Catalino Sadorra was rested for the second day after he was brought to hospital Sunday due to unexplained headache. He made to undergo some tests, results of which will be known late Monday.
Russia, the United States and China, the top three seeds, were among 16 teams still with perfect scores after three rounds.
A day after downing four-time champion Georgia, the women’s squad was nearly swept by fifth seed India.
Only woman International Master Janelle Mae Frayna (2281) escaped with a 41-move draw via repetition of moves against GM Dronavalli Harika (2542).
The rest of her teammates floundered in the middlegame against higher-ranked opponents.
WIM Jan Jodylin Fronda (2128) lost to IM Rout Padmini (2408) in 42 moves, while Christy Lamiel Bernales (2065) had only 32 seconds left in her clock when she resigned against IM Sachdev Tania after 34 moves.