IM Kim Steven Yap (left, seated) makes the first move during the first day of the Cebu Chess Masters Invitational at the Robinsons Galleria Cebu. | CDN Digital photo / Glendale Rosal
CEBU CITY, Philippines — International Master (IM) Kim Steven Yap led the second day of the ongoing Cebu Chess Masters Invitational held at the Robinsons Galleria Cebu this weekend.
IM Yap, the second seed of the tournament, racked up three straight wins to bounce back from his slow day one outing.
He defeated third seed Diego Abraham Caparino, fourth seed and National Master (NM) Rommel Ganzon, and fellow IM, Rico Mascarinas, in the fourth to sixth rounds, respectively.
READ: Cebu Chess Masters Invitational draws best Cebuano woodpushers
Cebu Chess Masters Invitational
On the first day of the Cebu Chess Maters Invitational, IM Yap started off hot, beating ninth seed Richard Ouano and top seed, NM Rogelio Enriquez.
READ: Cebu Chess Hub to revive standard games in local scene with cash-rich tourney
However, IM Yap hit a brick wall after losing to 10th seed Anthony Makinano in the third round, paving the way for sixth seed John Dave Lavandero to end day one on top with 2.5 points.
READ: Lavandero tops Cebu School of Chess Scholastics tournament
IM Yap has 6.5 points as of this writing with the tournament currently playing its last three rounds.
Makinano is currently ranked second with 6.0 points, followed by Lavandero with 4.5 points at third.
Arena Grand Master (AGM) Michael Joseph Pagaran is fourth with 4.5 points also, followed by Caparino with 4.0 points.
The sixth to 10th placers in the ongoing tournament are IM Mascarinas (4.0), NM Ganzon (4.0), Natividad (3.5), NM Enriquez (2.5), and Allan Pason (2.5), respectively.
Cash prizes
The champion of this tournament will take home P7,000 with a plaque and certificate. The second placer will receive P5,000 and P3,000 for the third placer.
The fourth and fifth placers will get P2,000 and P1,000, respectively, while the rest will receive medals and certificates.