INTERNATIONAL Master Daniel Quizon walloped Woman IM Marie Antoinette San Diego in 52 moves of a King’s Indian Defense in the seventh round last Wednesday and remained at the helm of the Philippine National Chess Championships at the Marikina Community Convention Center.
With the win, Quizon, 19, solidified his hold on the solo lead with six points, a full point ahead of the 14-player field headed by Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna and IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia.
Frayna scored a hard-earned 68-move triumph over battle-scarred IM Barlo Nadera in a Torre Attack that hiked her total to five points and kept her in the race for one of the three slots to the World Chess Olympiad set in September in Budapest, Hungary.
Frayna, the country’s one and only WGM, is bidding to become the first Filipina player to get the chance to suit up for the men’s team in the biennial meet.
Garcia kept a piece of No. 2 after drawing with GM John Paul Gomez in 29 moves of an English encounter.
Also in hot pursuit of Olympiad tickets with 4.5 points each in the 13-round meet were Gomez and FIDE Master Mark Jay Bacojo, who drew with Samson Chiu Chin Lim III in 58 moves of a Scandinavian encounter, and unheralded Vince Angelo Medina, who stunned GM Darwin Laylo in 62 moves of an English Opening, respectively.
IM Paulo Bersamina downed John Jerish Velarde in 35 moves of a Nimzo-Indian Defense and 14-year-old FM Christian Gian Karlo Arca pulled off a 46-move draw with GM Joey Antonio in 46 moves of a Modern Defense to remain in Olympiad contention with four points each.
Apart from Olympiad seats, the event also offers P120,000 to the champion courtesy of Marikina City, NCFP chairman president Prospero Pichay, Jr., POC president Abraham Tolentino, PSC chair Richard Bachmann, the Eugene Torre Chess Foundation and Pan de Amerikana’s Jundio Salvador.
