Top seeds set early pace in Roger Abella chessfest

CEBU, Philippines - Top-ranked players led by Eden Diano, Rommel Ganzon, Anthony Makinano and NM Merben Roque swept their first three assignments to share the early lead with a dozen others after three rounds of action in the 1st Roger T. Abella Memorial Open Chess Tournament yesterday at the E-Mall Activity Center.

Diano capitalized on his middlegame dexterity to outlast Vivencio Mendoza, Jr. and poset a perfect   3.0 points together with Ganzon, Makinano and Roque, who sustained their momentum with victories over  Vincent Baleña, Erwin Ababat, and Jethro Esplanada, respectively.

The fifth-seeded Richard Natividad subdued Ceferino Vizco, Jr. to also stay undefeated alongside Edsel Montoya, Chris Aldritz Pondoyo, Mario Mangubat, Diego Abraham Claro, Rogelio Enriquez, Jr., Allan Salientes, Joel Pacuribot, Ronald Ganzon, Michael Joseph Pagaran, Bryle Arellano, and Orven Ortiz.

Cebuano chess prodigies Rhenzi Khyle Sevillano and Alan Pason also continued to make an impression in a field of 185 entries that is a mixture of newcomer and veteran pawnpushers. Sevillano came up with a decisive endgame assault to edge out Joyce Lagrosas, while Pason triumphed over Alexander Bayubay.

The two-day tilt sponsored by Rose Pharmacy, Inc. through longtime chess patron Boogie Lim will resume with its fourth round at 12 nn today.

Organized by Four Central Squares Chess Association (FCSCA), which is under the auspices of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP), the 7-round Swiss system competition offers a total of P21,000 in cash prize.

The champion will pocket P6,000, while the second to fifth will receive P4,000, P2,000, P1,000 and P800. The 6th to 10th placers will take home P500 each, while those who will occupy the 11th to 20th spots will claim a consolation prize of P300.

The top player in the kiddies, ladies, seniors and 10-under categories will get an additional prize of  P500 apiece.

The games are being supervised by FIDE Arbiters Marvin Y. Ruelan and Felix C. Poloyapoy, Jr. (FREEMAN)