So, six others pace Tuguegarao chess

MANILA, Philippines - Top seed GM Wesley So swept his first four matches with relative ease to share the lead with six others in the Tuguegarao Open chess championships at the Paseo Reale Mall in Tuguegarao, Cagayan over the weekend.

So made short work of his lower-rated opponents in the early going of the P100,000 event which drew some of the country’s top players.

GM Rogelio Antonio Jr., out to prove something, also won his first four games along with GM Darwin Laylo, IM Oliver Barbosa, IM Rolando Nolte, NM Ronald Llavanes and youth standout Mari Joseph Turqueza.

GM John Paul Gomez posted three wins and one draw to lead the 3.5-pointer group.

Seventh seed IM Barlo Nadera and No. 8 IM Oliver Dimakiling tote three points each.

So, who turned 17 last Saturday, takes on Nolte in the fifth round.

Antonio battles Barbosa, Laylo collides with Llavanes and Turqueza meets Gomez in the other featured matches.

Meanwhile, exhibition matches and chess clinics for kids were also conducted by GM Eugene Torre, Gonzales and IM Yves Ranola.