CAGAYAN DE ORO's Lennon Hart Salgados got off to a rousing start to vie strongly for the 16-under boys title of the ongoing 10th Asean age-group chess championships in Hue, Vietnam.

Salgados, a 15-year-old find from Corpus Christi School, made up for the early difficulty of Filipino compatriot National Master Alcon John Datu by winning his first two fights before holding to a draw the top-seeded rivals from the host country.

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As NM Datu, the second seed in the 16-under field suffered back-to-back setbacks at the hands of Bui Manh Hung of Vietnam and Christer Jon Aplin of Singapore, Salgados took revenge as he toppled down sixth ranked Le Trong De Toan and Nguyen Trung Hieu of Vietnam in succession, a feat that catapulted the last-seeded entry from the City of Golden Friendship and the province of Misamis Oriental to an exciting top-board duel with the No.1 homeground pride in Nguyen Van Hai.

But like his fourth-round battle with another Vietnamese -- the third seed Dang Duy Linh, Salgados' head-on bout with Nguyen also ended in a tough draw.

"This is just his first tournament outside Philippine shore which to explain his "zero rating" yet in the Asean chessfest. We know for sure that Vietnam is now a chess power in Asia. That he managed to hold his ground against an all-Vietcong cast is such a big relief exposure-wise. Sa amo nga mga parents, dako gyod among pasalamat kay Sir Butch Pichay (NCFP chair) for his effort and dedication in upgrading Philippines chess especially among the youth," said Lennon's father, Lynde Salgados, sports editor of Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.

The young Salgados (3.0 pts) now faces the fourth-ranked Edward Lee Kim Han (2.5 pts) of Malaysia in the 5th round which also features an all-Vietnam affair on board 1 between Nguyen (3.5 pts) and Dang Duy (3.5pts). NM Datu (2 pts) tries to improve his status against Nguyen Trung Hieu (1.5 pts).

Salgados' CDO-Misor fellow Tristan Frech Ibaoc, meanwhile, targets his first win in the fifth-round skirmishes opposite Benjamin Oliver Yick of Singapore.

Ibaoc, also from Corpus Christi School, got two points on four successive draws with Quan Le Quang Anh, Tran Thuan Phat and Nguyen Tuan Kiet of Vietnam and fellow RP bet, Rhenzi Kyle Sevillano in 10-under boys section.

In hot pursuit of handing RP's first golds in standard chess are the perfect scorers in Boholana woodpusher Jedara Docena (4 of 4 in girls 20) and NCR's Cherry Ann Mejia (4 of 4 in girls 14).

Half a point behind them are GenSan hopeful Sheider Nebato (3 wins, 1 draw) and Bacolod's Mira Mirano (3 wins, 1 draw).

Also unbeaten but with two or three draws to bear are Dennis Guttierez Jr. (3 pts, Open 8), Paulo Bersamina (3 pts, Open 12) and Revita Samantha Go (2.5 pts, girls 10).

The lean but mean 25-strong RP delegates are campaigning in the prestigious Asean Youth Championships under the mentorships of Grandmaster Buenaventura "Bong" Villamayor and International Master Idelfonso Datu with NCFP tournament director Willy Abalos and NM Wilfredo Neri as team managers.