EDGAR Reggie Olay is a man on a mission.
After getting his second International Master (IM) norm in the recent Prospero Pichay Chess Tournament, the woopusher from Kidapawan City is training his sight on the 1st Campomanes Memorial Cup Open.
So far, so good.
The 34-year-old Olay amassed 1.5 points after three rounds and is looking good to get his third and final norm to become a full pledged IM. According to his chief backer, lawyer Dan Calica, Olay needs to at least finish with 5.5 points in the nine-round tournament to achieve that.
Olay lost his first round match to GM Darwin Laylo, but bounced back with a stunning win over IM Petronio Roca in the second round. He then drew with Indonesian GM Sadikin Irwanto in the third to come up with 1.5 points with still six rounds to play.
Olay has a Fide rating of only 2289, but all of his first three opponents had higher ratings than him, according to Calica.
Olay was to play another Indon foe in Rajpara Ankit in the fourth round. Ankit has a rating of 2362.
Grandmasters Jun Zhao and Jianchao Zhou of China are leading the field with 3 points each, while Filipino GM Wesley So is among eight players with 2.5.
So, who was co-leader after two rounds, was stalled after his third round match with Merab Gagunashvili of Georgia ended in a draw. (CRAM)