GRANDMASTER (GM) Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. (2431) drew with top seed Peruvian GM Julio Granda Zuniga (2650) in 56 moves of Sicilian defense Monday to stay on top with five others after six rounds of the 27th World Senior Chess Championship 2017 (50+ and 65+ Open-men and women) in Acqui Terme, Italy.
Antonio, the many-time Philippine Open champion and seeded sixth here, used his pet Alapin with the white pieces. He tried to ride the momentum of a pair of impressive victories but failed to squeeze out a win against Zuniga, a four-time American continental champion.
They were joined at 5.0 points by No. 3 GM Zurab Sturua of Georgia (2536), No. 5 GM Eric Prie of France (2482), No. 10 IM Alexander Reprintsev of Ukraine (2361) and No. 13 IM Oliver Brendel of Germany (2334) in the 50-and-above category.
Sturua dismantled Indian IM Devaki V Prasad (Elo 2290) in 56 moves of King’s Indian defense, Prie outclassed No. 9 GM Giorgi Bagaturov of Georgia (2,399) in 71 moves of English Opening, Reprintsev waylaid No. 4 FM Klaus Bischoff of Germany (2513) in 46 moves of Reti Opening while Brendel subdued No. 8 IM Evgenij Kalegin of Russia (2426) in 71 moves of another English skirmish.
In Tuesday’s 7th round, Zuniga will face Brendel on Board 1, Reprintsev goes up against Sturua on Board 2 and Prie plays Antonio on Board 3.
Meanwhile, Grandmaster Eugene Torre (2465) defeated No. 26 Matthias Kierzek of Germany (2252) in 54 moves of Nimzo-Indian defense in the 65-and-above category.
The win allowed Torre to gain a share of 7th with No. 27 FM Boris Gutkin of Israel (2250) with 4.5 points alongside his next opponent, No. 8 GM Evgeni Vasiukov of Russia (2404), No. 9 GM Lothar Vogt of Germany (2398), No. 11 GM Davorin Komljenovic of Croatia (2379), No. 15 GM Nikolai Pushkov of Russia, No. 14 IM Jan Rooze of Belgium (2314), No. 25 IM Janez Barle of Slovakia (2261), No. 28 Boris Malisov of Israel (2240), No. 33 Marat Primbetov of kazahkstan (2222) and No. 47 Robert Beltz of Germany (2158).