AIRFORCE man Allan Cantonjos defeated Cosain Magarang with black to catch up National Master Rustum Tolentino and Johnnel Balquin on top of the lead going into the last two rounds of the 3rd Barangay Tablon Fiesta Individual Open Chess Tournament here.
With the win, Cantonjos now shares the lead with Tolentino and Cantonjos at 4.5 points after the two drew their own fifth-round match on the top board.
“Timing sab nga natabla ang dula sa duha (Tolentino and Balquin). Now, Cantonjos has the chance to rock the boat in the last two rounds,” said arbiter Jun Cuizon.
Meanwhile, veteran campaigner Jokorn 'Alamid' Maestrado shocked the youthful Lennon Hart Salgados with black to improve at 4 points in the company of NM Levi Mercado, Silverio Abasolo and Nazario Ubanan.
Mercado downed Benjamin Guimong, Abasolo conquered Jeriel Manlimbana and Ubanan trounced Bong Vasquez.
The fiesta event, which also has an elementary category, stakes P12,000, P10,000 and P7,000 for the top-3 finishers in the Open division.