GRANDMASTER Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr., stunned Ukrainian International Master Alexander Reprintsev (2361) Saturday and wheeled into a tie for second place with four others after Round 4 of the 27th World Senior Chess Championship 2017 (50+ and 65+ Open-men and women) in Acqui Terme, Italy.
The sixth seed Antonio (Elo 2431) is still unbeaten in four rounds and was with No.3 GM Zurab Sturua (2536/Georgia), No.8 IM Evgenij Kalegin (2426/Russia), No.9 GM Giorgi Bagaturov (2399/Georgia) and No.18 FM Pavel Certek (2295/Slovakia) with 3.5 points.
Sturua drew with with Bagaturov, Kalegin trounced No.24 FM Rolf Bergstrom (2270/Sweden) and Certek subdued No. 27 Ibrahim Tofan (2235/Turkey).
Top seed GM Julio Granda Zuniga (2650/Peru) beat No. 5 GM Eric Prie (2482/France) to grab the solo lead 4.0 points in the 50 years-old category.
In Sunday’s fifth round, Zuniga faces Sturua on Board 1, Certek goes up against Antonio on Board 2 and Kalegin plays Bagaturov on Board 3.
In the 65 years-old and above category, third seed GM Eugene Torre (2465) of the Philippines split the point with No.34 FM Boris Gruzmann (2218/Germany).
Torre, who is fresh from wining the 8th Asian Seniors Chess Championship last month in Auckland, New Zealand now has 2.5 points, in four rounds, the same score of his fourth round opponent No.54 Peter Hohler (2127) of Switzerland who drew with No.21 IM Craig W Pritchett (2280) of Scotland.
No.13 IM Nils-Gustaf Renman (2368/Sweden) shocked No.2 GM Evgeny Sveshnikov (2480/Russia) to secure his fourth straight win and the solo lead.
The event is an 11-Round Swiss-system tournament.