International Master Michael Concio, Jr. topped the Philippine National Juniors Chess Championships Monday night, Dec. 16, at the PACE to earn the right to represent the country in next year's Worlds in Petrovac, Montenegro.

Concio, 19, ousted erstwhile solo leader Gabriel Ryan Paradero in 55 moves of a King’s Indian Attack in the eighth and final round to snatch the crown -- his second after winning it last year.

The Dasmariñas bet, who finished with 6.5 points on five wins and three draws, clinched a slot to the World Juniors Championship in February in Petrovac where he would have a chance to claim an outright Grandmaster title should he end up topping the event.

If he achieves the feat, he will follow the footsteps of childhood friend Daniel Quizon, who became the country's newest GM in the Budapest Olympiad last September.

Aside from Paradero, Concio’s victories came at the expense of John Andrew Garcia, John Cyrus Borce, Cyrus Francisco, and Mar Carredo. He, meanwhile, halved the point with Cedris Abis, former national juniors titlist FIDE Master Alekhine Nouri and FM Mark Jay Bacojo from the third to the fifth round.

Concio will thus join Lexie Hernandez, who reigned supreme in the girls’ side of the event ran by the NCFP and backed by the PSC, in Petrovac.

Paradero dropped into a three-man tie for second with  Abris and Bacojo with six points apiece but wound up fourth because he had the lowest tiebreak score.

Abis, who shocked Nouri, took second while Bacojo, who turned back Phil Martin Casiguran, claimed third.

Rounding up the Top 10 are Paradero, Francisco, Jerish Velarde, Nouri, Casiguran, Borce and Garcia.