MANILA, Philippines -- Filipino International Master (IM) Jan Emmanuel Garcia subdued Hungarian IM Petra Pepp to stay on course in the fifth round of Group B in the 11th Aeroflot Open Chess Championships 2012 at the Hotel Cosmos in Moscow, Russia on Saturday.

Garcia raised his total to three points, good for a share of the 30th to 48th places in the field of 130 players.

Grand Master (GM) John Paul Gomez lost to GM Swaminathan Soumya of India to remain at 1.5 points and was dropped into a tie of 100th to 118th place.

GM Emre Can of Turkmenistan routed overnight co-leader Fide Master Sergey Grishchenko of Russia for his fifth straight win in as many rounds and grab the top of the leader board.

In the sixth round, Garcia will face IM Nguyen Van Huy of Vietnam while Gomez will meet FM Rakhim Pasiev of Russia. -- By Marlon Bernardino.