RP Whiz Kid and No.16 seed, GM Wesley So (2540) toppled over-night co-leader No.33 FM Saleh Salem (2429) of the host country to grab solo leadership after the fifth round of the annual $45,000 Dubai Open dubbed as The Sheikh Rashed Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Cup being held at the Dubai Chess Club in United Arab Emirates yesterday.
The 14-year-old undefeated So raised his total to 5.0 points and will meet No. 15 GM Merab Gagunashvili (2553) of Georgia in the next round, who won over No.10 GM Tigran Kotanjian (2570) of Armenia.
Gagunashvili, on the other hand took solo second place with 4.5 points, half point ahead with 13 other players with identical 4.0 points each.
No. 29 IM Julio Catalino Saddora (2455) also of the Philippines, suffered his first loss at the hands of No. 6 GM David Arutinian (2593) of Georgia. The loss drops him to 31st place with 3.0 points.
Other Filipino entries in the event are journalist Jobannie Tabada (3.0), FM Antonio Molina (2.0), NM Robert Arellano (2.0) and Ernesto Yap (2.0).
contributed by MARLON BERNARDINO, edited by jovie sison
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