Datu, a two-time Olympiad veteran, now has 7.5 points, a point away from clinching the first of the nine available slots in the finals where Grandmasters Eugene Torre, Rogelio Antonio, Jr. and Buenaventura Villamayor are already seeded.
While Datu opted to take a breather after an amazing seven-win run, four chessers led by unheralded NM Edgar Reggie Olay of Davao City made their moves to close in on the leader with seven points.
Olay, a former national junior titlist, stunned sixth pick IM Chito Garma in a controversial 53-move win of a Sicilian Defense. — Joey Villar