Barbosa shares lead; Bitoon climbs to 3rd

Individual standings after round 6:

5.0 pts — IM Oliver Barbosa (Philippines), IM Jahongir Vakhidov (Uzbekistan)

4.5 pts — IM Richard Bitoon (Philippines)

4.0 pts — IM Arghyadip Das (India)

3.5 pts — GM Tahir Vakhidov (Uzbekistan)

Filipino International Masters Oliver Barbosa and Richard Bitoon drew their sixth-round games on Wednesday to keep their bid for a third and final GM norms alive in the DYTM Raja Dr. Nazrin Shah Invitational Masters at the Swiss Garden Hotel and Residences in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“Ok lamang ang draw para parehas kami ni Richard na may pag-asa makakuha ng 3rd at final GM norm,” said Barbosa, who beat former solo leader IM Jahongir Vakhidov of Uzbekistan in the fifth round.

The draw, however, enabled Vakhidov to catch up with Barbosa for the lead with 5.0 points after subduing IM Goh Wei Ming of Singapore in the sixth round.

Bitoon of Medellin, Cebu, who beat IM Mas Hafizulhelmi of Malaysia in the fifth round, climbed into solo third place with 4.5 points.

Barbosa and Bitoon need to score at least 6.5 points to earn their third GM norm and complete their GM status. The event has three more rounds left.

Meanwhile in the Swiss competition, Filipino NM Edgar Reggie Olay shocked IM Atanu Lahiri of India to inch closer to his third and final IM norm.

Olay raised his total to 4.5 points, the same output of World Cup qualifier GM Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia.

IM Nguyen Doc Hoa of Vietnam kept the solo lead with 6.0 points after crushing IM Liu Qingnan of China. Cebuano IM Kim Steven Yap and IM Yves Ranola of the Philippines also beat their respective rivals to share 2nd to 3rd places with 5.0 points each. Yap beat countryman Cris Ian Udani while Ranola crushed WIM Nguyen THi Mai Hung of Vietnam.