PALAYAN City – GM Mark Paragua is on a roll.
Paragua outduelled comebacking IM Ronald Dableo in 55 moves of the Queen’s Gambit to take a one-point lead after seven rounds in the Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali Cup Open chess championship at the Sierra Madre Suites and Hotel here.
The 26-year-oldParagua, who is trying to make an impact this year after missing a slot in the Philippine team in the 38th World Chess Olympiad in Dresden, Germany, raised his output to 6.5 points on six wins and one draw.
The pride of Meycuayan, Bulacan is now one point ahead of top seed GM Eugene Torre, second seed GM John Paul Gomez and 10 other players with still two rounds remaining in the nine-round tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) in cooperation with the Nueva Ecija government.