Garcia, Mendoza keep Asean chess lead

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino International Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia scored back-to-back draws last Saturday to seize the solo lead with four rounds left in the JAPFA Asean Chess Championships in Indonesia.

Garcia halved the point with Malaysian FM Yeoh Li Tian in the morning session then agreed to a draw with Vietnamese GM Dao Thien Hai in the afternoon play to hike his tally to 4.5 points after seven rounds.

Compatriot WFM Shania Mae Mendoza also showed the way in the women’s division, sharing top spot with Vietnamese WGM Nguyen Thi Mai Hung with a six-point card.

The 20-year-old Garcia led Vietnamese FM Nguyen Anh Khoi (4.0) by half a point going to Round 8. Also with four markers were Yeo, Indonesian Yoseph Theorlifus Taher and Dao.

IM Paulo Bersamina occupied joint seventh with 3.5 markers after his seventh consecutive draw while GM Darwin Laylo, who notched his first win at the expense of Yeo in the seventh round, followed at eighth spot with a similar card.

Mendoza, meanwhile, picked up where she left off before the tourney’s Christmas Day break, extracting the full points against a pair of Indonesians, WIM Chelsie Monica Ignesia and WFM Nur Abida Shanti.

Filipina WIM Janelle Mae Frayna climbed to solo third with 5.0 points, gaining from her victory over Indonesian WFM Anastasia Citra Dewi and standoff with Vietnamese WIM Hoang Thi Nuy.

WIM Bernadette Galas ranked fifth with 4.0 markers after successive draws with Indonesian Nur Nabila Azman Hisham and Citra Dewi in the sixth and seventh rounds.