By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
International Master Paulo Bersamina remained unscathed in the 2018 Asian Universities Chess Championships on Monday night after beating FIDE Master Arif Abdul Hafiz in the third round at the Tagaytay International Convention Center.
It was Bersamina’s third straight win to seize the solo lead with 3 points, half a point ahead of five woodpushers that included IM John Marvin Miciano.
Bersamina prevailed over Malaysian Law Tze Hong and John Merill Jacutina in the first two rounds.
Miciano, for his part, blasted Lin Zaochen of China to draw level with IM Wang Chen and IM Xu Yi of China, and Fide Master Yoseph Theofilus Taher and IM Farid Firman Syah of Indonesia.
Jacutina dropped to 8th to 19th places with Daniel Quizon, Michael Concio Jr., Rhenzi Kyle Sevillano, Justine Diego Mordido and FM Alekhine Nouri – all with similar 2 points.
In the distaff side, Women’s International Master Marie Antoinette San Diego and Jerlyn Mae San Diego are tied for third to fifth places with identical 2.5 points, half a point behind leaders WGM Wang Jue and WIM Qui Mengjie of China after three rounds.
Marie Antoinette drew with WFM Sahajasri Cholleti of Indonesia, while Jerlyn Mae downed WFM Tan Li Ting of Malaysia.
