Five Share Lead at Zonal Halfway Mark

by Marlon Bernardino.
Filipino juniors IM Daniel Quizon (photo above), 17, IM Michael Concio Jr, 16, and Indonesians Mohamad Ervan and Sean Winshand Cuhendi, and surprise fourteen-year-old FM Jagadeesh Siddharth (photo below) of Singapore share the lead with 4 points each out of 5 rounds at the halfway mark of the Zone 3.3 Zonal Hybrid Chess Championship on Tornelo. Visit chess-results.com to download games and for round by round results and standings. Watch games live on Followchess, chessbomb, chess.com and chess24.

Quizon, the 2018 South Korea Eastern Asia Junior Chess Champion, found second seed Grandmaster Novendra Priasmoro of Indonesia a tough nut to crack and settled for a truce despite playing the white pieces after 92 moves of Sicilian defense.
“It was a really tough match,” said the Dasmariñas City bet Quizon, playing under the guidance of Rep. Elpidio “Pidi” Barzaga Jr. and national coach Roel Abelgas. Quizon had Queen and two isolated pawns against Priasmoro’s Rook and Knight.

International Master Michael Concio Jr. (photo above) made a quick 16 move draw with co-leader International Master Mohamad Ervan (photo below left) of Indonesia in their Giuco Piano skirmish.

In other matches, International Master Sean Winshand Cuhendi of Indonesia toppled countryman FIDE Master Pitra Andyka after 36 moves of a London System Opening, FIDE Master Jagadeesh Siddharth smashed untitled Kimuel Aaron Lorenzo of the Philippines after 40 moves of a Kings Indian defense, National Master Merben Roque of the Philippines checkmated Yu Tian Poh of Malaysia after a marathon 131 moves of an Alekhine defense, while top seed Grandmaster Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia trounced International Master John Marvin Miciano after 24 moves of Caro Kann defense.

Megaranto, Priasmoro and Roque and five others woodpushers notch 3.5 points each.

Here are Standings after Round 5
4 points—IM Daniel Quizon (Philippines), IM Michael Concio Jr. (Philippines), IM Mohamad Ervan (Indonesia), IM Sean Winshand Cuhendi (Indonesia), FM Jagadeesh Siddharth (Singapore)
3.5 points—IM Yoseph Theolifus Taher (Indonesia), GM Novendra Priasmoro (Indonesia), IM Muhammad Lutfi Ali (Indonesia), IM Azarya Jodi Setyaki (Indonesia), IM Tin Jingyao (Singapore), GM Susanto Megaranto (Indonesia), FM Lik Zang Lye (Malaysia), NM Merben Roque (Philippines)

FM Lik Zang Lye and others in Kuala Lumpur almost did not make it to round 6 as the government declared MCO (Movement Control Order) lockdown in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysian Chess Federation (MCF) president Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidah Sanusi (photo below) spoke with Olympic Committee of Malaysia (OCM) SecGen Dato Nazif Najib and they were happy to provide the necessary letters for Kuala Lumpur players and participants for Zonal. MCF Secretary Najib Abdul Wahab is liaising with the OCM Exec Sec on this matter. Supposedly the OCM letter should be enough for passing any roadblocks, avoiding need of police permit. The Penang venue is not under restricted MCO, IA Hamid Majid of Malaysia reported. Hamid, who is the Arbiter proctoring Philippine players, helped with the MCO in Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, lone Filipino Grandmaster Darwin Laylo split the point with International Master Gilbert Elroy Tarigan of Indonesia after 16 moves of King’s Indian defense to raise his total 3 points.
The top two players will advance to the World Cup set July in Sochi, Russia.

Two players in the Davao venue above had to withdraw after coming down with a fever. According to regulations, players who have high temperature may be prohibited from entering the playing hall for the safety of other participants in this time of pandemic.