MANILA, Philippines – Filipino International Master (IM) Enrique Paciencia defeated his Indian foe to grab the leadership board in Round 2 of the Commonwealth Open dubbed as Singapore International Chess Festival 2009 in Singapore on Friday.

Paciencia, a native of Tacloban, Leyte, outduelled Indian Fide Master (FM) Sauravh Khherdekar to hike his total score to 2.0 on two wins.

The former Adamson University stalwart earlier beat Aussie master Max Illingworth in the opening round.
Paciencia’s next assignment is Malaysia’s top player IM Mas Hafizulhelmi who led a bunch of 1.5 pointers in second place.

Also in second place were: IM Ashwin Jayaram, IM Gokhale Chandrashekhar and Thakur Akash of India; IM Daniel Fernandez Howard, FM Timothy Chan, and FM Terry Chua of the host country.

In the Singapore Challengers section, 6 of 15 Filipino campaigners remained unscathed after Round 2.
Marie Joseph Turqueza, Christy Lamiel Bernales, Wilfredo Abalos, Wilfredo Neri, Jedara Docena, and Paulo Bersamina are now among the 19 players who are leading the tournament with a 2/2 performance.

National Chess Federation of the Philippines President Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr. is supporting the Filipino woodpushers campaign in Singapore.  -- by Marlon Bernardino