Wesley So draws with Pashikian

Filipino GM Wesley So (2656) played white and drew his game against GM Arman Pashikian (ELO 2642) of Armenia in round six of the Aeroflot Open 2010 Tournament in Moscow, Russia.

The players castled on opposite sides of a Queen’s gambit and the game ended in a bishop and pawn endgame.


The 16 year old prodigy has four points and is still half a point behind the two leaders, Qiang Liem Le and Boris Grachev. So scored back to back wins against GM’s Alexandr Rakhmanov of Russia and Hrant Melkumyam of Armenia after losing to GM Ngoc Truongson Nguyen of Vietnam.

So drew his first game against GM Ehsan Ghaem Maghami of Iran and then won against GM Dmitry Bocharov of Russia.

Source: Rene Bonsubre  | PhilBoxing

Pinoy Power 3: Filipinos score 3 out of 5

WBA interim superflyweight champ Nonito 'The Filipino Flash' Donaire (22W-1L, 11KO’s) knocked out challenger Manuel Vargas of Mexico in the 3rd round.
Donaire landed power shots with ease. A sharp left uppercut in the third round sent Vargas to the canvas and he stayed flat on his back for the full ten count. Official time: 1:33 of the third round.


The Mexican known as “Chango” gave up too much in height and reach. Vargas (26W-4L-1D, 11KO’s) last fought at 105 lbs. and lost a split decision to WBO minimumweight champ Donnie "Ahas" Nietes in a fight held last September in Nayarit, Mexico

Vargas was a late substitute for Gerson Guerrero, who was found to have a tear in his right eye retina during the pre-fight medical examination and was not allowed to fight.
WBO bantamweight champ Fernando Montiel (40W-2L-2D, 30 KO’s) of Mexico scored a first round knockout over Ciso Morales using a vicious left hook to the body. Official time: 2:06 of 1st.

This was only Morales’ 15th pro fight and his first career loss.

Former two time world champ Gerry Penalosa (54-8-2, 36 KOs) lost to former WBA world flyweight champ Eric “Hands of Steel” Morel (42-2, 21 KOs) in a bantamweight eliminator and the WBO interim belt. The 37 year old Penalosa had trouble catching the taller and fast moving Morel early in the fight.

Penalosa went to the body but suffered a swelling under his left eye. Penalosa found his range and started to rally in the 6th. Two headbutts opened cuts on Gerry’s face in the 7th. But Penalosa continued his rally and landed the cleaner punches.

From the ninth round onwards Morel was getting pummelled and retreating but still managed to win. The scores – 115-113 and 116-112 for Morel and 115-113 for Penalosa.

Bernabe “The Real Deal” Concepcion ( 28W (14 KO’s) – 3 L- 1 D) scored an impressive unanimous decision win over Puerto Rican Mario Santiago (21W (14KO’s) -2L-1D).

Concepcion used good lateral movement and textbook weapons against a southpaw – right hand lead and left hook. A well timed right sent Santiago crashing to the canvas in round 6.

Concepcion went on cruise control but Santiago tried to stage a late rally in the 10th and final round with low blows and tried to pin the Filipino on the ropes.The score cards read: 98-91, 97-92 and 96-93.

Concepcion has been promised another title shot against WBO featherweight champ Juan Manuel Lopez. Concepcion lost by disqualification against Steven Luevano last August in his first title shot. Luevano has since been dethroned by Lopez.

Mark Jason Melligen of the ALA Gym won by 6th round TKO over Raymond Gatica (11W (6KO’s) -1L -0) of the U.S. and handed him his first career loss. Melligen is now 17 wins with 13 KO's and 2 losses.
This fight card was held at the Las Vegas Hilton. Watching the fights and providing inspiration were Z “The Dream” Gorres and world’s best boxer Manny Pacquiao.

Source: Rene Bonsubre  | PhilBoxing

Why not have a “GORRES BILL” here in the Philippines?

There have been heart-warming news reports coming out recently about Filipinos in the U.S. banding together to help Z Gorres pay for his medical bills.

Another bit of good news was the plan for a Gorres Bill in Nevada that will increase the insurance coverage of boxers and MMA fighters from $50,000 to $1 million.

The bill will ensure that every fighter is well-covered and protected for their hospital expenses.

Boxing aficionados are familiar with the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act and the Professional Boxing Safety Act which are important pieces of legislation that benefited boxers practicing their profession in the United States.

Would it be too much to ask if our lawmakers think of similar bills that will benefit boxers here in the Philippines?

Dozens of our lawmakers and government officials flock to Las Vegas to watch and cheer for Manny Pacquiao. Nothing wrong with that; the powerful and the privileged also have the right to savour a Pacquiao victory just like the underemployed and hungry masses.

But would it be better if the powers that be – who will be asking for our votes a few months from now – leave something behind that will help boxing?

Pacquiao will not fight forever. Sooner or later, he will have to pass the torch to another generation of boxers. Pacquiao is also an exception to the exception, not just in terms of his boxing ability but in his financial security. Filipino boxers retire without the benefit of a pension fund.

By the way, would this be a good time to bring up a certain Luisito Espinosa?

There is nothing wrong with a government official posing with a victorious boxer. But it would be better if they can come up with something long term and sustainable that can help boxers who never made it big. Many of these destitute and disabled pugilists once proudly waved our flag when they fought on foreign shores.

We can always do better. Our boxers deserve better. We Filipinos deserve better.

Source: Rene Bonsubre  | PhilBoxing

So beats Reinderman for second straight win

GM Wesley So played the white pieces in his 7th round game against Dutch GM Dimitri Reinderman and won after 36 moves of a Dutch defense.

The 16 year old So played 1. d4 and the 37 year old Reinderman employed the Stonewall variation of the defense which is his favourite against d4.

With the battle waged on the queenside, So produced an advantageous endgame position with a passed pawn on the a file with his queen, rook and two bishops versus Reiderman’s Queen and two rooks.

The game ended with So’s white square bishop skewering the Dutch GM’s rooks.

After five straight draws, So won his sixth round game against Romanian GM Liviu Dieter Nisipeanu with the black pieces. So now has 4.5 points. He entered the seventh round trailing leader Anish Giri by 1.5.

Source: Rene Bonsubre  | PhilBoxing

Wesley So Scores First Full Point in Corus B

Filipino chess prodigy Wesley So won his first game after five straight draws in the sixth round of the Corus B tournament in Holland. So played the black pieces against Romanian GM Liviu Dieter Nisipeanu.

Nisipeanu used the Reti opening (1.Nf3). So was a pawn up after 17 moves. The 33 year old Nisipeanu was pushed to the defensive as the 16 year old So slowly consolidated his advantage and gained another pawn. The game ended after 35 moves with So’s two knights and Rook poised to surround the white king.

Source: Rene Bonsubre  | PhilBoxing