ASIAN ZONALS CHESS TOURNAMENT:  April 26, 2001 Manila, Philippines

GM Dao Thien Hai (Vietnam), Nguyen Thanh Son (Vietnam) and GM Utut Adianto (Indonesia) share the lead with 2 points after 2 rounds of the Asian Zonal Chess Championships at the grand Boulevard Hotel, Manila Philippines. Nguyen Thanh Son, stunned Bazar Hatanbaatar (Mongolia's No. 1 player) in 55 moves of a Sicilian Taimanov. Nguyen, rnaked only 23rd with a 2200 ELO rating, played on the 6th board for Vietnam in the World Chess Olympiad last year in Istanbul Turkey last year. In round 1, he had also beaten another Mongolian GM, Dashzeva Sharavdon. GM Dao, who won the Zonal last year, defeated FIDE Master Fernie Donguines (Philippines) in 55 moves of a Sicilian NAjdorf, while GM Adianto, the top seed, whipped compatriot IM Edhi Handoko in 40 moves of a Slav Defense. Vietnam is the new chess power in the FIDE Zone, joining China and the Philippines. Filipinos currently bunched at 1.5 points are GM Joey Antonio, Idelfonso Datu and Emmanuel senador. Vietnamese GM Nguyen Anh Dung also has 1.5 points. Antonio scored a diificult win against compatriot Allan Sayson by weaving a mating net in 53 moves of a Sicilian. He had earlier a draw with Jayson Gonzales. Datu and Nguyen halved the point with a quiet draw while Senador used his experience to defeat Darwin Laylo.

GMs Eugene Torre drew with 15-year old IM Mark Paragua in 42 moves of a King's Indian while Villamayor split the point with NM Jayson Gonzales in 35 moves of an English game. Also with 1 point are: IM Denny Juswanto Cedap Kosasih and Handoko of Indonesia, Hatanbatar and Sharaydon of Mongolia, and Yves Ranola and Donguines of the Philippines. Ranola bounced back from an opening round loss to Adianto by clobbering winless Chor Yuen Ching of Hongkong.