by Marlon Bernardino.
Philippine Juniors IM Michael Concio Jr. (photo above), 17, and IM Daniel Quizon, 18, set the pace after two rounds of the Zone 3.3 Hybrid Zonal Chess Championship on Tornelo. Six players, three Filipinos and three Indonesians, share early lead with 2 points each. 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. Read earlier stories of round 1.
Concio checkmated IM Tin Jingyao of Singapore after 53 moves of a Slav defense for his second straight victory. The Dasmariñas City, Cavite ace, crafted the win with the white pieces to create a six-way tie for first with compatriot Quizon, National Master Michael Gotel of the Philippines, IMs Yoseph Theolifus Taher and Mohamad Ervan and FM Pitra Andyka of Indonesia.
Concio earned his International Master title and a GM norm as well during the Eastern Asia Juniors Chess Championships at the Lima Hotel in Tanauan City, Batangas two years ago when he was only 14.
Concio, who at a young age is also a businessman selling fried duck and egg, earlier beat Choong Wai Edwin Lam of Malaysia in the first round.
Quizon, another Dasmariñas City, Cavite bet playing under the guidance of Rep. Elpidio “Pidi” Barzaga Jr. and national coach FM Roel Abelgas, nipped 14-year-old CM Prin Laohawirapap of Thailand after 44 moves of Sicilian defense. Gotel of Bulacan province routed IM Azarya Jodi Setyaki of Indonesia after 56 moves of a French defense.
Prin, is the tormentor of top seed Grandmaster Susanto Megaranto of Indonesia in the first round Saturday. Megaranto drew his second round assignment against Christian Mark Daluz of Bulan, Sorsogon after 73 moves of Closed Sicilian defense.
In other matches, Taher outplayed FM Zhuo Ren Lim of Malaysia after 55 moves of a Sicilian defense, Ervan defeated FM Austin Jacob Literatus of Davao City after 43 moves of Alekhine defense while Andyka smashed IM Muhammad Lutfi Ali of Indonesia after 28 moves of a Sicilian defense.
Meanwhile, IM John Marvin Miciano of Davao City forced stalemate against second seed Grandmaster Novendra Priasmoro of Indonesia in a 62-move Dutch Defense after holding a slightly worse bishop versus knight endgame.
Miciano now has 1.5 points, the same output of countryman lone Filipino GM Darwin Laylo, who brought down Kimuel Aaron Lorenzo after 52 moves of a Sicilian defense.
Also with 1.5 points are Merben Roque, Ellan Asuela and Jeremy Marticio of the Philippines, GM Priasmoro, IMs Gilbert Eroy Tarigan and Sean Winshand Cuhendi and CM Aditya Bagus Arfan of Indonesia, FM Jagadeesh Siddharth of Singapore, FM Lik Zang Lye and Jun Ying Tan of Malaysia.
Fifty-two players from six nations are taking part in the event that has a prize fund of $1,500