MANILA, Philippines — Filipino Grandmaster John Paul Gomez’s quest for another national chess title should end soon.
And it is starting to materialize after Gomez remained untouchable on top with 7.5 points after nine rounds of the Philippine National Open Chess Championship Grand Finals in Alicia, Isabela.
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The battle-scarred 38-year-old drew his last two games with Pau Bersamina and Jem Garcia, who happened to be his teammates when they went to war in the FIDE Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary last month.
The Biñan native will have two assignments left — Daniel Quizon and local bet Joel Banawa — before he achieves what he had long sought for — a third national crown to add to his jewels in 2008 and 2013.
“Two games pa,” said Gomez.
If he hangs on until the end, Gomez will also punch a ticket to next year’s Southeast Asian Games in Thailand and pocket the P120,000 champion’s prize courtesy of host Alicia Mayor Joel Amos Alejandro.
Standing in the way and just a full point behind with 6.5 points each were familiar faces — Bersamina, Garcia and Quizon.
Quizon poses the most dangerous threat as he is coming off four straight victories that catapulted him back to title contention after suffering a pair of heartbreaking defeats to Bersamina and Mark Jay Bacojo in the early rounds.