So’s lead drops with 3rd draw

Standings after round 7

5.5 pts — GM Wesley So

5.0 pts — IM Oliver Barbosa

4.5 pts — GM Darwin Laylo

4.0 pts — GM Eugene Torre, IM Rolando Nolte, IM Richard Bitoon

3.5 pts — GM Rogelio Antonio Jr., GM Mark Paragua

3.0 pts — GM John Paul Gomez, GM Rogelio Barcenilla, GM Joseph Sanchez, IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia

2.0 pts — GM Roland Salvador

1.0 pts — IM Yves Ranola

Grandmaster Wesley So settled for his third consecutive draw Tuesday and saw his lead dwindle to just half-a-point after seven rounds of the National Chess Championships: 4th Battle of the Grandmasters at the National Press Club in Intramuros, Manila.

The 17-year-old So, the event’s three-time defending champion, drew with GM John Paul Gomez after 37 moves of Sicilian defense.

“Wala na pong mapipilit, equal na po ang laro,” said So.

So tallied 5.5 points on four wins and three draws to remain on top in the National Chess Federation of the Philippine-organized event.

Meanwhile, Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre’s two-match win streak was halted by IM Oliver Barbosa who beat the former after 32 moves of Bogo-Indian defense to raise his total to 5.0 points good for solo second.

Barbosa who is fresh from winning the 2011 Campomanes Yangon International Open Chess Championships in Myanmar needs to score at least 8.5 points in this 13-round round-robin tournament to secure his second GM norm. He earned his first during the 10th Asian Continental Individual Chess Championships in Mashhad, Iran last May.

The loss dropped Torre to a share of 4th-6th spots with 4.0 points alongside IM Rolando Nolte and IM Richard Bitoon who drew their 7th-round game after 32 moves of Philidors defense.

GM Darwin Laylo, on the other hand, salvaged a draw with GM Rogelio Barcenilla Jr. after 32 moves of Caro-Kann defense to climb to solo third with 4.5 points.

Other matches featuring Ateneo junior standout IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia vs. GM Mark Paragua, GM Roland Salvador vs. GM Joseph Sanchez and 12-time national open champion GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. vs. IM Yves Ranola all ended in draws.

In the distaff side, defending champion Woman FIDE Master Rulp Ylem Jose beat reigning national junior GU-20 champion Woman National Master Janelle Mae Frayna after 36 moves of Alekhine defense to grab the solo lead after six rounds with 5.0 points, half point ahead of Woman International Master Catherine Perena who relinquished the lead after losing to WNM Jedara Docena after 54 moves of Center Counter defense.

Tied for 3rd to 6th placers with 4.0 points apiece were Frayna, WIM Beverly Mendoza, WFM Cherry Ann Mejia and WNM Jan Jodilyn Fronda.