CEBU International Master (IM) Kim Steven Yap is on a winning roll in the ongoing 2015 Australian Open in Sydney, South Wales.
This after, he finished the ninth round of the scheduled 11-round Swiss system format competition with a victory against Australian Alistaire Cameroon yesterday.
From 25th spot, IM Yap has now climbed to 17th with 6.0 points in hand after the ninth round. He faces Australian IM Andrew Brown in the 10th round, which was being played as of press time.
Yap won his first three matches of the tournament, lost three straight after that and then won three successive again.
Leading the rankings after the ninth round is Chinese Grand Master (GM) Hua Ni with 8.5 points followed by Kazakh GM Rustam Khusnutdinov with 7.0 points and Australian IM Max Illingworth with 6.5 points.
Fourth to 10th placers in the rankings were GM Murtas Kazhgaleyev of Kazakhstan (6.5), FIDE Master (FM) Eugene Schon of Australia (6.5), GM Zong Yuan Zhao (6.5). Russian GM Vasily Papin (6.5), Australian IM Moulthun Ly (6.5 points), IM Bobby Cheng (6.5) and Russian IM Alexej Khamatgaleev (6.0), respectively.