CEBUANO wood pushers had contrasting performances in the ongoing Piaya Network 2017 Negros International Open Chess Tournament in Talisay City, Negros Occidental.
Edsel Montoya (2262 Elo rating) was dislodged from third place and is now placed 14th after seven rounds while Merben Roque climbed from 11th to sixth spot in the cash-rich tournament.
The 21st-seed Montoya suffered two defeats in the previous rounds, one against Vietnamese Grand Master (GM) Duc Hoa Nguyen in the seventh round and GM Nigel Short of England in the sixth round.
Montoya has 4.0 points with two rounds left in the tournament.
The 14th-seed Roque (2309 Elo ratings), meanwhile, is currently the highest ranked Cebuano at sixth place with 5.0 points.
He beat National Master (NM) Emmanuel Emperado, Xavier John Verdun and Rey Jomas Magallanes in rounds five to seven, respectively.
Another Cebuano contender, International Master (IM) Kim Steven Yap, is currently at 16th place, climbing from the 24th spot after round seven.