Quizon on track for National title

MANILA, Philippines — After some bumps on the road, 19-year-old International Master Daniel Quizon’s return to the top of Philippine chess looked imminent.

It came following a 26-move destruction of John Jerish Velarde in his pet Benoni in the ninth round Thursday night that kept Quizon at No. 1 in the Philippine National Chess Championship at the Marikina Community Convention Center.

With four rounds to go, Quizon has 7.5 points, a full point ahead of the field headed by Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna, IM Jem Garcia and GM John Paul Gomez.

If he succeeds, Quizon will bag the top purse of P120,000 and one of three seats to the national team vying in World Chess Olympiad this September in Budapest, Hungary.