Quizon boosts chess Olympiad drive with 3rd straight win

MANILA, Philippines -- Daniel Quizon’s hot pursuit of a World Chess Olympiad slot got a big boost after the player claimed his third win in row at the expense of Samson Chiu Chin Lim III in the Philippine National Chess Championships at the Marikina Community Convention Center.

The 19-year-old Quizon relied on his impregnable Staunton Variation of the Sicilian Defense in edging Lim in a marathon 64-move triumph that kept the former at joint first with fellow International Master Jem Garcia with pristine three points.

Garcia, in contrast, kept his share of the lead after waylaying Jerish John Velarde in 33 moves of an English duel in this event, which is being presented by Marikina City Mayor Marcy Teodoro and Congresswoman Maan Teodoro, that stakes three Olympiad slots next year in Budapest, Hungary.

And Quizon, who played in the online version of the Olympiad during the pandemic but never in the over-the-board side of this biennial event, hopes to snatch one.

A point behind Quizon and Garcia with two points each were four others that included youthful sensation FIDE Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca, who continued to send shockwaves down the tournament hall after hold Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna a stunning 30-move draw of a Three Knights Variation.

Also part of that chase pack were Frayna, 17-year-old FM Mark Jay Bacojo, who  pulled off a 67-move standoff with IM Paulo Bersamina, and GM John Paul Gomez, who halved the point with GM Darwin Laylo.

Apart from Olympiad slots, this event is also staking P120,000 to the champion courtesy of Marikina City NCFP chairman president Prospero Pichay, Jr., POC president Abraham Tolentino, PSC chair Richard Bachmann, the Eugene Torre Chess Foundation, Pan de Amerikana’s Jundio Salvador.