A two-time national junior champion, the 16-year-old Gomez now has 6.5 points, half-a-point up on fellow NMs Oliver Barbosa and Fernandito Pialan as Gomez virtually clinched a slot in the grand finals of this event set April 10.
Barbosa likewise stunned veteran NM Emmanuel Senador in a French game, while Pialan, ranked 24th here, beat NM Rolly Martinez.