JERLYN Mae San Diego of the Philippines and Deshmukh Divya Jitendra of India defeated separate rivals in the third round to stay on top of the Asian Youth Chess Championship 2013 in Sari, Iran over the weekend.
San Diego, from Dasmarinas, Cavite, subdued Patil Bhagyashree Pravin of India while Jitendra crushed compatriot Ravi Rakshitta to push their total to 3.0 points in three outings in the Girls 8-and-under division.
The world’s youngest Fide Master, seven-year-old Alekhine Nouri of Taguig City, defeated Shabani Amin of Iran in the third round but fell short to Gao Yuheng of China in the fourth round for 2.0 points in four outings in the Open 8-and-under category.
Meanwhile, IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia of Manila and FM Paolo Bersamina of Pasay City settled for a truce with their respective assignments.
Garcia, the top player of Adamson University, split a point with Le Tuan Minh of Vietnam to create a three-way tie for first in the Open 18-and-under class.
Bersamina halved a point with Koushik Girish Arun of India in the third round and Asgarizadeh Ahmad of Iran in the fourth round.
After four games of play in the Open 16-and-under division, Bersamina tallied 3.0 points together with Ahmad, Das Sayantan of India and Lu Chan Hung of Vietnam. Koushik Girish Arun of India is leading the way with 3.5 points after four outings.
Woman Fide Master Marie Antoinette San Diego of Dasmarinas, Cavite outclassed Atabayeva Gozel of Turkmenistan to raise her total to 2.0 points in three outings in the Girls 18-and-under class.
Ella Grace Moulic of Davao City, meanwhile, bounced back after crushing Sydykova Akylai of Kyrgyzstan in the third round and Narzikulova Gulkhayo of Uzbekistan in the fourth round in the Girls 16-and-under division.
In other results, Daryl Unix Samantila of Tonsuya, Malabon drew with Atabayev Saparmurat of Turkmenistan in the third round then beat Yakubboev Nodirbek of Uzbekistan in the fourth round for 2.5 points after four outings in the Open 14-and-under while Istraelito Rilloraza of Las Pinas City toppled Do Duc Viet of Vietnam in the third round then bowed to Saydaliev Saidakbar of Uzbekistan in the fourth round. Rilloraza remains with 1.5 points after four outings in the Open 12-and-under class. /correspondent Marlon Bernardino