Nadera unscathed after seven rounds

International Master Barlo Nadera wore down FIDE Master Jesse Noel Sales in the endgame to prevail and grab the solo leadership in the 2003 Shell National Open Chess Championship at the Kaban ng Hiyas bldg., Mandaluyong City Hall, Mandaluyong City.

The victory kept Nadera’s winning run intact on seven wins in as many games.

In women’s play, third-ranked Sherrie Joy Lomibao also wrested the solo lead with a 38-move victory over Jonalyn Torres. Lomibao has 6.5 points going into the eighth round of the tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines and sponsored by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. in cooperation with the city government of Mandaluyong.

Nadera, an Air Force enlisted personnel, and Sales battled on even terms at the start of the contest, with Sales gaining a slight advantage in the middlegame. An ill-advised series of exchanges by Sales, however, had Nadera winning a pawn in a rook-bishop-vs-rook-knight endgame.

Besides a pawn edge, Nadera also gained the initiative in the c-file, forcing Nadera to give up the fight after the 58th move of their Catalan encounter.

"Medyo lamang na siya sa posisyon sa middlegame. Pero nagpilit kaya nabaligtad tuloy at nakalamang pa ako ng pawn," said Nadera, who next faces fellow Air Force personnel Ronald Dableo in the eighth