Chiong vs

IM Luis Chiong IV downed IM Ricky de Guzman in a gruelling playoff for a quarterfinal berth that took two sets of matches to finish yesterday, only to find himself clashing with the fancied GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. in the First Chess Pambansa Millennium Grand Prix at the PNB Financial Center in Pasay City.

After drawing their first four games, the first two in the standard format and the other in the 30-minute active chess, Chiong finally pulled off a victory after 70 moves of a Queen's Indian Defense and then forced a 39-move draw in their second 15-minute match to beat De Guzman, 3.5-2.5.

But the San Jose, Antique bet will have to recover quick as he is set to meet a well-rested Antonio in one of the featured quarterfinal round matches which start at 1 p.m. today.

The 38-year-old Antonio chased IM Nelson Mariano out of the race for the top P1 million prize Wednesday, 1.5-0.5.

NM Ernesto Absin of Butuan City stopped NM Mirabeau Maga in the second of their first 30-minute playoff in 33 moves of an Alekhine Defense transformed into a Sicilian and clinched a berth with a 1.5-0.5 win following a draw in their first playoff game.

Absin faces NM Richard Bitoon, the Cebuano bet who only formalized his stint in the quarterfinal round yesterday after the players' appeals committee upheld the organizing Philippine Chess Federation's decision on his 1.5-0.5 victory over NM Chito Garma.

Garma placed the match under protest Wednesday, asking for a replay of their first game which he claimed should not have been ruled a draw.

The other quarterfinal matches pit IM Bong Villamayor versus NM Idelfonso Datu; and NM Cesar Mariano of Iloilo City versus NM Enrique Paciencia Jr. of Marikina City.