GRANDMASTER Richard Bitoon posted a draw and a win in the last two rounds to climb into a tie for the lead with fellow GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio, but it was the 22-year-old International Master Haridas Pascua who was the biggest gainer heading into the stretch of the 2015 Battle of Grandmasters-National Chess Championship at the Athletes Dining Hall, Philippine Sports Commission Bldg., RMSC, Vito Cruz, Manila.
Bitoon, a native of Medellin, Cebu, halved the point with Antonio in the 7th round, before outlasting NM Roel Abelgas after 61 moves in the 8th round to keep pace with Antonio, who agreed to a draw with top seed GM John Paul Gomez in the eighth rounds.
Bitoon and Antonio have 10 points under the match-point scoring system apiece going into late yesterday’s (Thursday) ninth round, and only half a point ahead of Pascua, who improved to solo third with nine points.
Pascua, a Pangasinan native, who graduated from University of Baguio, outsmarted Woman International Master Janelle Mae Frayna in only 22 moves of a King’s Indian and drew with National Master Jerad Docena in the eighth.
Gomez, Fide Master Joseph Mari Turqueza, Docena and GM Darwin Laylo ended their matches in the 7th and 8th rounds in draws to emerge tied with seven points each, followed by GM Eugene Torre, IM Paulo Bersamina and Abelgas with six points each.
Frayna, the lone woman entry in the Open division, took her fourth straight loss and dropped to the bottom with five points after eight rounds.
In the women’s side of the tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and supported by the PSC, Woman Fide Master Marie Antoinette San Diego topped Brena Mae Membrere in 29 moves of a Benoni to score a full point and climb into a tie with WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda.
The 21-year-old Fronda settled for a draw with Judith Pineda, allowing San Diego to tie her at the top on 9 points each.
But only two points behind the co-leaders with seven points are defending champion Catherine Perena-Secopito and WFM Shania Mae Mendoza.
Perena-Secopito outplayed 2014 Asian juniors’ titlist Mikee Charlene Suede, while Mendoza, from Far Eastern University, turned back last year’s runner-up WNM Christy Lamiel Bernales.
Bernales dropped into a tie with Arvie Lozano at six points, followed by Suede and WNM Karen Jean Enriquez with 5 points each, Membrere with 4, and Judith Pineda with 2.
Standings after 8 rounds
(Open Division) – Bitoon, Antonio 10, Pascua 9, Gomez, Turqueza, Docena, Laylo 7, Torre, Bersamina, Abelgas 6, Frayna 5.
Standings after 6 rounds
(Women’s Division) – Fronda, San Diego 9, Perena-Secopito, Mendoza 7, Lozano, Bernales 6, Suede, Enriquez 5, Membrere 4, Pineda 2.