Manila: Filipino Diego Abraham Caparino defeated Siya Sagar of India in the second round to keep his share of the lead in the 22nd Bangkok Chess Club Open at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Riverside Hotel in Thailand. The 29-year-old player from Cebu City has earned two points.
According to Philippine News Agency, Caparino expressed his hopes to maintain his momentum as he prepares for his third-round match. Other Filipinos with two points in the tournament include International Masters Paulo Bersamina and Michael Concio Jr., FIDE Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca, and Marc Kevin Labog. Bersamina claimed victory over Tom Barbe of Belgium, Concio defeated compatriot Tyrhone James Tabernilla, Arca overcame Haoxuan Zhang of China, and Labog triumphed over Huy Hoang Le of Vietnam.
Additionally, Filipino FM Robert Suelo, who is the 1996 national junior champion and current head coach of the Laos chess team, achieved a win against Suyog Bagul Aaradhya of Singapore. Suelo shares the lead with several top players, including top seed GM Jan Gustafsson of Germany, third seed GM Evgeny Romanov of Macedonia, fourth seed GM Surya Shekhar Ganguly of India, fifth seed GM Vitaliy Bernadskiy of Ukraine, sixth seed GM Babu M R Lalit of India, and seventh seed GM Stephen J Gorgon of England.
The tournament saw Gustafsson defeat FM Myat Aung Kyaw of Myanmar, Romanov win against Vo Quoc Bao Tran of Vietnam, Ganguly beat Ron Hoffman of the Netherlands, Bernadskiy prevail over Erik Tam of Canada, Lalit overcome Filipino NM Phil Martin Casiguran, and Gordon defeat FM Ko Ohn Ko of Myanmar. Meanwhile, second seed and former world championship challenger GM Nigel Short of England drew with Yasseen De Herdt of Belgium, while Filipino Almario Marlon Quiroz Bernardino Jr., a US chess master, secured a win against Nakorn Nakthip of Thailand after a first-round loss.
In the Challengers division, Woman NM Arvie Lozano, John Paul De Guzman, Remark Bartolome, John Lance Valencia, and James Henry Calacday won their second-round matches to join the leaders.
