MASTER-caliber Johnnel Balquin escaped from the jaws of defeat to advance in semifinal round of the 2017 Barangay Carmen Pre-Fiesta Open chess tournament on Sunday at Carmen covered court, Cagayan de Oro City.

Facing National Master Roger Verganio in the quarterfinals, Balquin stumbled in the first game and was losing in the second game.

But the 60-something Verganio, who needed just a draw to eliminate Balquin, apparently committed a blunder. Balquin leveled the score and defeated Verganio in the sudden death Armageddon blitz tie-break play-off to face another Oro compatriot John Vincent Cayaba in the semifinals.

Cayaba won over Jeriel Manlimbana of Bukidnon in the quarterfinals.

Gingoog City pride Allan Cantonjos, meanwhile, bested the younger Romeo Canino in two games to share the table with Jake “The Snake” Gonzales in the semifinals.

Gonzales had no trouble dispatching off Paciano Gulle, 2-0 in the quarterfinals.

Gulle earlier created a noise when he pulled off an upset victory over pre-tournament favorite National Master Rustum Tolentino in just the second round via sudden death blitz game.