Grandmasters Wesley So and Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. led the early winners in the opening round of the Battle of GMs at the Pavilion Hotel in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte.

Tournament top seed So (ELO 2627) vanquished battle-tested Villamayor (ELO 2471) to earn his first point in the 11-round tournament that offers P200,000 and the championship trophy to the top winner.

15-year-old So will have GM John Paul Gomez (ELO 2539), who is the 71st season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) top athlete, as his next assignment in the second round.

Antonio (ELO 2519), who has won a string of tournaments in the US, overwhelmed International Master (IM) Julio Catalino Sadorra (ELO 2445).

Facing him next will be IM Rolando Nolte (ELO 2488), who drew with Asia’s first GM Eugene Torre (ELO 2560).

In other matches, Gomez outhustled GM Jayson Gonzalez; IM Richard Bitoon defeated GM Mark Paragua; and GM Laylo split the point with IM Ronald Dableo.

Meanwhile, Women National Masters Cristy Lamiel Bernales, Catherine Perena, Daisy Rivera and Rulp Ylem Jose also had successful openings over their respective opponents.

At stake are cash prizes with the champion in the men’s division taking home P200,000 and the championship trophy.

The runner-up and the third placer will receive P100,000 and P80,000, respectively. The fourth placer will get P60,000 and the fifth placer will bring home P40,000.

Cash prizes will be given up to the 12th finisher.

The tournament is organized by Phoenix Petroleum and Dapitan City with Willie Abalos as Tournament Director.

Scores as of Round 1
1 point
IM BITOON
GM GOMEZ
GM SO
GM ANTONIO

0.5 point
GM LAYLO
GM TORRE
IM NOLTE
IM DABLEO

0 point
IM SADORRA
GM VILLAMAYOR
GM GONZALES
GM PARAGUA