Dimakiling grabs solo lead in Blas Hipulan chess meet

TOP SEED International Master (IM) Oliver Dimakiling climbed up to the top spot after beating round four leader Emmanuel Senador in the open division of the ongoing Engr. Blas Hipulan and Deep Blue Open Chess Tournament at the Deep Blue Cafe in SM City-Cebu.

Dimakiling beat Senador in the fifth round to grab the lead and remain unbeaten with 26.5 tie break points. Senador dropped to seventh place.

Trailing FM Dimakiling is FIDE Master (FM) Sander Severino, who has 4.5 points and 26.5 tie break points.

Cebuano Grand Master (GM) Richard Bitoon, meanwhile, dropped to 29th after suffering a huge loss to unrated Rogelio Enriquez Jr. in the fifth round.

Enriquez is now at  16th place while GM Bitoon, who is the second seed of the tournament, dropped from 14th to 29th.

Voltaire Sevillano and his junior chess phenom nephew Rhenzi Kyle Sevillano climbed to a tie at third place with 4.5 points each and 25 tie break points.

At fourth place is Rommel Ganzon with 4.5 points and 21.5 tie break points while Shaun Felix Balbona is at fifth with 4.5 points.

Meanwhile, Laila Camil Nadera and Duane Borgonia lead the kiddies division chalking up three wins in three rounds. Vic Glyzen Derotas is at second place also with three wins and seven tie break points. /CORRESPONDENT DALE G. ROSAL