FIDE Master Sander Severino agreed to a quick, eight-move draw with Polish FM Marcin Molenda of a Queen’s Gambit to stay at the helm after six rounds of the International Physically Disabled Chess Association World Championship at the Black Fortress in Gyumri, Armenia on Wednesday, July 24.

The deadlock kept both Severino, who has muscle dystrophy, and Molenda at No. 1 alongside Kazakhstan’s Alimzhan Ayapov, who hurdled Mikhail Dzenisenia of FIDE’s refugee team, with five points apiece.

Severino, whose trip is financed by the Philippine Sports Commission, was clashing with Ayapov in the seventh round at press time in this nine-round, 52-player meet.

Ayapov actually ruled the tournament four years ago when the format was then rapid and done online due to the pandemic.

A full point off the pace was a big group of four-pointers that included another Filipino bet Henry Lopez, who trounced Woman FM Svetlana Gerasimova.

James Infiesto, the national para team coach, suffered a stinging defeat to former world champion IM Andrei Obodchuk and slipped to a share of No. 16 that included Cheyzer Mendoza, a multiple ASEAN Para Games gold winner WFM Aleksandra Aleksandrova, with 3.5 points each.

Meanwhile, Severino missed a chance to rule the side blitz event after he lost in the seventh and final round to Molenda and wound up fourth in the category won by FIDE’s Mikhail Dzenisenia.