Sanchez scores; Mark, Dableo in easy draw

Joseph Sanchez scored an expected victory over Flavio Perez of France (36-Sicilian) even as compatriots Mark Paragua and Ronald Dableo (15-Sicilian) drew their match in the second round of the X Nice International Open chess tournament at the Grand Aston Hotel in Nice, France Tuesday.

It was Sanchez’s second straight win as he joined the four top-ranking players in the fold — superGM Igor Miladinovic of Greece, Vladimir Georgiev, Nikolai Mitkov and Petar Genov of Bulgaria in the lead in the 9-round Swiss System tournament where Paragua and Dableo try to gain their second GM result.

Paragua missed that chance last week although he went on to rule the Cannes International Open he capped with a final round victory over Dableo.

Sanchez, Paragua’s mentor, placed second to complete the Philippines’ 1-2 finish in the event.

Meanwhile, Sanchez guns for his third win in a row although he is paired with the third-seeded Mitkov Wednesday while Paragua and Dableo resume their respective bids over lowly-rated opponents making up the bulk of the 164-player field.

Paragua clashes with Liubka Georgieva of Bulgaria while Dableo tangles with Tuillaume Tupet of France.