7TH ROUND STANDINGS:
17.5 points -- Russia
16.0 -- Philippines , India
15.5 -- Georgia , England , Armenia
15.0 -- Azerbaijan , Slovakia
13.5 -- Turkey -A
12.5 -- Turkey-Mersin
12.0 -- Switzerland -A, Sri Lanka
11.5 -- Greece , Syria , Turkey Girls-A, Turkey-C
11.0 -- South Africa -A
10.5 -- Switzerland -B, Turkey-B

AFTER getting a much needed rest the other day, a re-charged Philippine juniors chess team will gun for the solo leadership when it takes on top seed Russia in the seventh round of the World Youth Under-16 Chess Olympiad at the Mersin Great Municipality Sport Hotel in Mersin, Turkey.

The fourth-ranked Filipinos are fresh from a heart-breaking loss to 2nd-ranked India, 2.5-1.5, late Wednesday while Russia blasted 11th-ranked Armenia, 4-0, in the sixth round to snatch the solo lead with 17.5 points.

The Philippine squad is now tied with India at second with 16.0 points with still three rounds remaining in the 26-team, 18-country event which adopts the Swiss System format.

Team Philippines is composed of the world’s youngest GM Wesley So (Elo 2577), NM Haridas Pascua (Elo 2171), John Alcon Datu (Elo 2138) and Jan Emmanuel Garcia (Elo 2232).

“Walang reserve player ang Team Philippines dahil magastos masyado kaya nga tawag namin ay “fighting four” pero kasama si GM (Bong) Villamayor na naatasan maging coach nila at malaking maitutulong sa mga bata sa preparasyon,” said Florand Garcia, father of Jan Emmanuel.

After six games of play, GM So has totaled 5.5 points on account of five wins and one draw on board 1, Pascua accumulated a, 2-1-3 (win-loss-draw) record on board 2, Datu has a 1-2-3 mark on board 3 while Garcia totes a 3-2-1 slate on board 4.

Other scheduled matches in the 7th round: India meets Georgia on board 2; Armenia battles England on board 3; Azerbaijan takes on Slovakia on board 4 and Turkey-Mersin clashes with Turkey-A on board 5.