GM So shares lead in Vegas

Standings Round 5:

4.5 pts—GM Wesley So (Philippines), GM Alejandro Ramirez (Costa Rica), GM Manuel Leon Hoyos (Mexico)

4.0 pts—GM Ray Robson (USA), GM Jaan Ehlvest (Estonia), GM Varuzhan Akobian (Armenia), GM Tamaz  Gelashvili (Georgia), GM Victor Mikhalevski (Israel), GM Enrico Sevillano (Philippines)

FILIPINO Grandmaster Wesley Barbasa So beat Georgian GM Tamaz  Gelashvili to share the lead with two others after five rounds of the National Open Championship dubbed as Las Vegas International Chess Festival 2013 at the  Riviera Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

Thw win hike So’s tally to 4.5 points, the same output of GM Alejandro Ramirez of Costa Rica and GM Manuel Leon Hoyos of Mexico. Ramirez toppled GM Ruben Felgaer of Argentina while Hoyos subdued defending champion GM Aleksandr Lenderman of the United States.

Another Filipino entry GM Enrico Sevillano crushed GM Conrad Holt of the United States to scored 4.0 points and create a six-way tie for fourth place that includes Gelashvili, GM Ray Robson of the USA, GM Jaan Ehlvest of Estonia, GM Varuzhan Akobian of Armenia and GM Victor Mikhalevski of Israel. /Correspondent Marlon Bernardino