Mark Jay Bacojo turned back Marc Lee Payumo to continue to pull away from the pack after six rounds in the boys’ Under-14 division of the the Gov. Amor Deloso National Age Group Chess Championships at the Zambales Sports Complex in Iba, Zambales yesterday.
The win hiked Bacojo’s total to 5.5 points, or a full point ahead of Neil Chester Reyes, who bested Charliemagne Arias, with 4.5 points in this tournament staking slots to the Philippine team seeing action in the ASEAN Age Group tilt in Myanmar this June.
Bacojo was playing Eljon Balala in the seventh round at press time.
Heart Padilla, for her part, trounced Roilanne Marie Alonzo to kept her grip on the top spot with 6.5 points in the girls’ Under-14.
Half a point off the pace with six points was Lovely Ann Geraldino, who defeated Rhea Jean Canino in this six-day event sponsored by Gov. Deloso and Congressman Cheryl Deloso, the Philippine Sports Commission and NCFP president Butch Pichay.
In the boys’ Under-10, Mark Gabriel Usman waylaid Christian Gian Karlo Arca to catch up on erstwhile solo leader Al-Basher Buto at the helm with six points each.
Buto was slowed down by a draw with Ruslan Pamplona that allowed Usman to snatch a share of the No. 1 spot.