Grandmaster Eugene Torre whipped International Master Herman Van Riemsdijk of Brazil and fortified his title chances in the Open 65+ division of the 27th World Senior Chess Championships last Friday in Acqui Terme, Italy.
Torre needed only 13 moves of a Ruy Lopez game in dispatching his rival to hike his tally to 7.5 points and join five others at the helm with only a round to go in the tournament.
His penultimate victory came at a time when Round 9 solo leader GM Vlastimil Jansa of Czech Republic bowed to GM Evgeny Sveshnikov of Russia and second-running GM Vladimir Okhnotiv of France lost to compatriot Anatoly Vaisser.
Torre, which has seven wins, two losses and one draw, is now tied with Vaisser, Sveshnikov, Jansa, IM Arkady Shevelev of Israel and German GM Lothar Vogt going to the crucial final round.
He will face Vaisser.
