Top seeds Julius Gonzales, Daniel Quizon and John Ray Batucan dished out top forms to wrest control in their respective divisions while Kylen Joy Mordido, Jerlyn San Diego and Laila Nadera took charge in the female side of the Shell National Youth Active Chess Championship grand finals at SM Megamall Event Center over the weekend.
Gonzales of La Salle Greenhills crushed Earl Mantilla, drew with Romeo Canino and Dale Bernardo then disposed of Kylen Joy Mordido, Carl Sato and Istraelito Rilloraza before halving the point with Chris Pondoyo in the seventh round to lead the juniors category with 5.5 points.
But Sato and Pondoyo stayed within striking distance with identical five points while Canino and Van Paler posted 4.5 points each heading to the last two rounds of the nine-round Swiss system finals.