International Master Daniel Quizon agreed to a draw with IM Ricky De Guzman to stay at the helm after eight rounds in the 2021 National Chess Championships at the Solea Hotel and Resort in Mactan, Cebu Monday.
Quizon split the point after 23 moves of a Queen’s Gambit Accepted to slightly improve to seven points, 1.5 points ahead of closest pursuer IM Ronald Dableo, who drew with IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia in 31 moves of a King’s Indian Defense.
It was the second straight draw by the World Cup veteran, the first coming in a game against unheralded Allan Pason in a marathon 62-move of a Pirc Defense.
Quizon has also come three rounds closer from claiming the top purse worth P80,000, a spot to next year’s Hanoi Southeast Asian Games and 2023 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Bangkok and Chonburi, Thailand.
Dableo, 41, has also stolen some of the spotlight as he snatched solo second by turning back top seed IM Paulo Bersamina in the seventh round Sunday and halving the point with Garcia the next day.
The pair of results gave the former Asian Zonal champion a fighting chance to catch up on Quizon and possibly snatch the crown as the two would only get to fittingly face each other in the 11th and final round Tuesday.
De Guzman remained tied with Grandmaster Darwin Laylo at third with five points apiece.