International Master Paulo Bersamina stunned newly minted Grandmaster Daniel Quizon in just 23 moves of a Center-Counter duel to seize the early share of the lead at the start of the Philippine National Open Chess Championship Grand Finals in Alicia Community Center in Alicia, Isabela Thursday night, Oct. 24.

The victory by Bersamina sent him in a four-way logjam at the helm with International Master Ricky de Guzman and qualifiers Alexis Emil Maribao and Samson Chiu Chin Lim with a point apiece in this nine-round event staking a spot to the Philippine team seeing action in next year’s Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand.

De Guzman downed Phil Martin Casiguran in 62 moves of a London System; Maribao trounced Vince Angelo Medina in 47 moves of a Pirc Defense; and Lim dismantled FIDE Master Mark Jay Bacojo’s English Opening in 45 moves to jumpstart their respective bids.

Half a point off the pace were GMs John Paul Gomez and Joey Antonio, who split the point in 14 moves of a Ruy Lopez, and IMs Jan Emmanuel Garcia and Joel Banawa, who halved the point in 30 moves of a Gruenfeld Defense.

The 11-round meet, organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines headed by Butch Pichay and in partnership with host Alicia Mayor Joel Amos Alejandro, was ushered in hours before.

Aside from a SEA Games ticket, a top purse worth P120,000 from the total cash pot amounting to P388,000 will be up for grabs with P90,000 going to the eventual second placer and P60,000 to the third placer.

Coinciding with the tournament, which is dubbed as the “Battle of the GMs,” is the National Youth and School Chess Championships for Under 11, 13, 15 and 17 boys and girls and the Philippine National Children Chess Championships for Under 8 and 10 participants.

Category winners of the tilt will represent the country in the Asian Schools Chess Championships slated Dec. 1 to 11 this year also in Bangkok, Thailand, according to NCFP chief executive officer GM Jayson Gonzales.