Yap launches blitz in Dubai GM quest

Cebuano international chess master Kim Steven Yap opened his quest for the elusive GM norm with a smashing victory over the lesser known Nair Sanjeev of India in the opening round to lead the Filipino players to early victory in the 19th Dubai Open yesterday.

Yap, who has been longing to win his first GM norm, was on the attack mode using the Sicilian defense Sveshnikov variation that forced his Indian opponent to concede after 40 moves.

However, IM Yap had to dig deep into his arsenal of strategies as he faced the 2010 champion GM Eduardo Iturrizaga of Venezuela in yesterday’s second round. Iturrizaga defeated FM Rahman Mohammad of Bangladesh in his opening and was expected to take it strong against the Cebuano chess master.

“Let’s just wait for what will happen. I am prepared for whatever game he will throw at me and I hope I can pull this one,” Yap told SunStar Cebu.

Yap reiterated his gratitude to the people who helped him financially in this trip – Boojie Lim of Rose Pharmacy, lawyer Augusto Go of the University of Cebu and Francis Nico Patalinghug of Lapu-Lapu City.

Of the nine Filipino players, only IMs Oliver Dimakiling and Haridas Pascua were the other entries who defeated their firstround opponents.

Dimakiling outplayed Doshi Moksh Amitbhai of India, while Pascu outhustled Woam Fide Master (WFM) Gozel Atabeya of Turkmenistan.

The rest of the Filipino players dropped their opening games— Marvin Marcos bowed to 12th-seed GM Sandro Mareco of Argentina, Rolando Gangozo lost to the tournament’s 2011 edition champion and 19th-seed GM Abhijeet Gupta of India, Marlon Mortel yielded to the young Chinese IM Xu Xiangyu, Dandel Fernandez lost to 11-year-old Indian prodigy R Praggnanandhaa, who last year became the world’s youngest international master at the age of 10, and Danilo Reyes lost to FM Mikhail Kuznetsov of Russia.

Yesterday’s second round was still in progress at press time, with Yap taking on a tough assignment against 2010 champion GM Eduardo Iturrizaga of Venezuela. Pascua and Dimakiling were up against untitled Indian players Saksham Rautela and Mohammed Fawwaaz. /

Let’s just wait for what will happen. I am prepared for whatever game he will throw at me and I hope I can pull this one. KIM STEVEN YAP On match with 2010 champion GM Eduardo Iturizzaga