By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales and International Master John Marvin Miciano toppled their respective rivals on Wednesday night to inch closer to the leaders after six rounds of the XX Obert Internacional Sant Marti 2018 in Barcelona, Spain.
The 17-year-old Miciano dispatched Spaniard Daniel Navarro Lopez-Menchero in 64 moves of a King’s Indian Attack even as Gonzales, 49, outplayed Indian Deepak Katiyar for a share of seventh place with 10 others for identical 4.5 points.
Miciano and Gonzales, who both have four wins, one draw and one loss, are now half a point behind the five-player pack at the helm composed of GM Jaime Alexander Cuartas of Colombia, GM Yasser Quesada Perez of Cuba, Indian FIDE Master Guha Mitrabha, GM Gadir Guseinov of Azerbaijan and IM Manuel Peña Gomez of Spain.
Woman Grandmaster Janelle Frayna, meanwhile, slipped into the crowded 28th spot with 3.5 points after bowing to fifth seed GM Rosell Alvar Alonso of Spain in 50 moves of an English Opening.
