Antonio keeps pace with leaders after draw

Grandmaster Joey Antonio drew with top seed GM Julio Granda Zuniga of Peru in 56 moves of a Sicilian Defense to keep a share of the lead with five others after six rounds in the 50-and-above division of the 27th World Senior Chess Championship in Acqui Teme, Italy Sunday night.

The 55-year-old Antonio, whose rating of 2431 pales in comparison to his foe’s 2650, gave up a pawn to neutralize Granda Zuniga’s connected pair of central passed pawns to eke out a draw that enabled the former to hang on to the lead.

He shares it with Granda Zuniga, GM Zurab Sturua of Georgia, GM Eric Prie of France and International Masters Alexander Reprintsev of Ukraine and Oliver Brendel of Germany.

In the 65-and-above section, GM Eugene Torre turned back untitled German Matthias Kierzek in 54 moves of a Bogo-Indian duel to close in on the leaders.