Antonio, Fronda keep top spot in Battle of GMs

Standings after 6 rounds
Open Division: 8.0 points—Antonio; 7.0 Bitoon; 6.0 Pascua, Turqueza; 5.0 Torre, Laylo, Docena, Abelgas, Gomez; 4.0 Bersamina, Frayna.
Standings after 5 rounds
Women’s Division: 8.0 points—Fronda; 7.0 San Diego; 6.0 Lozano, Bernales; 5.0 Perena-Secopito, Suede, Mendoza; 4.0—Membrere; 3.0 Enriquez; 1.0 Pineda

VETERAN Rogelio Antonio Jr. settled for a draw with fellow Grandmaster Darwin Laylo and kept the lead in the Open division of the 2015 Battle of Grandmasters-National Chess Championship at Philippine Sports Commission Athletes’ Dining Hall in Vito Cruz, Manila.

Antonio boosted his total to 8.0 points, towing GM Richard Bitoon with 7.0 points and GM-elect Haridas Pascua and Fide Master Joseph Mari Turqueza with 6.0 points each.

Also drawing their sixth round matches late Tuesday were defending champion GM Eugene Torre and top seed GM John Paul Gomez, Turqueza and GM Richard Bitoon and Bersamina and Pascua.

National Master Roel Abelgas posted the lone win of the day when she checkmated Woman International Master Janelle Mae Frayna after 80 moves of a Gruenfeld encounter.

Abelgas, a student of PCU-Dasmariñas, climbed to 5.0 points with Torre, Laylo, NM Jerad Docena and Gomez in the tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and supported by the PSC.
In the women’s division, WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda beat Arvie Lozano to keep the solo lead with eight points after five rounds.