JEDDAH, 24 May — Saudi national Fahad Al Hilal of Abdul Ghafoor Amin Company pulled off a pleasant surprise by upsetting Ramon Andrada of ABV Rock in straight sets (2-0) in the Community Chess Club Amateur Series Four Stepladder Knockout final at Al Faf Suites Hotel.
The first set of the best-of-two games of the Sicilian Defense went to a wringer, Hilal’s white pieces endgame strategy succeed against Andrada. The second game was E-4 regular opening. Andrada playing white made an early attack to stay alive, Hilal fought tooth and nail and wiggled out to victory. The successful run of Afghani Jan Muhammad of Jeddah Municipality came to a halt as he lost in the ladder four match against Filipino Ramon Andrada. Another Filipino Glenn Tolo of El Khereji Corporation managed to put Jan Muhammad under pressure with his fast moved. With Jan 3 minutes and Tolo 15 minutes time left in game one. Jan maintained composure prevailed in the last dying time and won the game in great fashion.
In game two, Tolo who was playing for a win gone astray in a blink of an eye touching the wrong piece during the middle game encounter. The championship day is set to start at 2:00 p.m. at Al Faf Suites Hotel on May 24. The remaining chess players in contention: Fahad Al Hilal of Abdul Ghafoor Amin Company, Michael Sangalang of King Faisal Naval Base and Anselmo Seidel of Al Obiri Rent-A-Car are in position 3, 2 and 1, respectively. Amateur chess players are invited to join series 4. For details, contact Willy Lumboy (6842189), Glenn Orlina (6361271 ext. 272) and Bong Marquez 054369725.
