John Ray Batucan, the 11-year-old fifth grader from Don Juan dela Cruz Elementary School in Toril, crushed 12th seed Che Quoc Huu of Vietnam in the fifth round of the 9th Asea Age-Group Chess Championships in Danang, Vietnam.
The win over Huu gave Batucan 4.5 points and a share of the lead with another Vietnam player Lu Chan Hung in the boy's 12-under category.
Batucan, who was supported by various private individuals in his campaign, also beat fellow Filipino Medina Vince Angelo in the third round and drew with Candidate Master Lee Huu Thai of Vietnam in the fourth round. The Davao player has four wins and a draw in five matches thus far.
Another Davao bet, Rowelyn Joy Acedo, also remained in contention in the girl's 12-under category after five rounds.
Blue Knight Chess Club (BKCC) director Ronnie Tabudlong, when asked about his two members, said Batucan and Acedo are very strong when they are playing white.
"That's where they're very good at. But they are also competitive in black," Tabudlong said.
Le Thuan Minh, also of Vietnam, is occupying the third spot with 4.5 while Vo Hoai Thuong and Le Huu Thai are sharing the fourth and fifth places with identical 3.5 points.
The 22nd-seed Acedo of Jose Maria College, who will turn 12 years old on June 26, dropped from fifth to eighth place with three points. She halved the point with No. 4 Chau Thi Yen Quyen in the fifth round.
Acedo, who hails from Buhangin, upset No. 9 Ho Nguyen Min Phuc in Round 3 but fell at the hands of No. 3 WCM Nguyen Ngoc Thanh Tra in the next round.
Top-seed Woman's Fide Master (WFM) Pham Hong Minh of Vietnam secured the top spot with perfect five points.
