by Marlon Bernardino
SINGAPORE---THE Philippines’ Bulldogs/Psalms 23 scored 3.0 points over the Grand Asian Chess Challenge (GACC) Dream Team to improve its standings in the QCD SG Chess League 2018 at the Aqueen Hotel in Paya Lebar, Singapore late Friday, July 13, 2018 here.

Lincoln "Linky" Yap, the pride of Cebu, who played in Board 1, scored his fourth win by beating Kwok Foong Lam in their Sicilian Dragon Skirmish.

"I hope to do well in this event," said Lincoln, a certified International Arbiter and chess instructor. He is also the father of International Master (IM) Kim Steven Yap.

8-times World Chess Olympiad member International Master (IM) Rico Yap Mascarinas is also from Cebu picked up his third win in the tournament as Board 2 player after beating Qing Yang Ng in another Sicilian defense duel.

Arena Grandmaster (AGM) and Fide (FM) elect Roberto Suelo Jr. subdued Peter Wirija in Board 3 in their Caro-Kannn defense for his fourth win in five outings.

Nathanael Ong prevent a possible shut-out loss for his team as he crushed Xavier Chua in their French defense clash in Board 4.

After fifth rounds, the Philippines is at second place with 4.0 points, half point behind current leader Pawnstars (Singapore) which has 4.5 points.

International Master Enrique Pacienca who hails from Tacloban City toppled Fide Master (FM) Timothy Chan in Board 1 to spearheaded Pawnstars into 2.5-1.5 victory over Woof! Woof! Woof! chess team.

Earlier, the Philippines’ Bulldogs/Psalms 23 chess squad defeated John 3:16 (3-1) in the first round, Chessmates (3-1) in the second round and Woof! Woof! (2.5-1.5) in the fourth round.

They suffered a heart breaking loses to Woff! (1-3) in the third round as Yap the only Filipino survivor after beating Russian Fide Master (FM) Andrey Terekhov.

The Philippines’ Bulldogs/Psalms 23 will face Pawnstars (Singapore) in Round 6.

In other matches saw, Kevin Goh Wei Ming, the latest chess Grandmaster (GM) of Singapore trounced Vietnamese Fide Master (FM) Hong Nguyen Ly to lift Woof! Woof! into a 3-1 victory over Woof!

Former Philippine Junior champion Fide Master (FM) Arlan Cabe waylaid Ngan Moan Loh as Bulldog Chess Brotherhood edged Thomsformers, 2-5.1-5.

Kent Ridge Knights defeated Chess Mates, 2-5.1-5, thanks for Fide Master (FM) Hoon Cheng Lim who brought downed Bansal Randhir.

With the setback, Woof! remains at 3.5 points, the same output of Bulldog Chess Brotherhood.

Kent Ridge Knights of FM Lim along with Woof! Woof! of GM Goh and Woof! Woof! Woof! of FM Chan tallied 3 points each.

Organized by Singapore Chess Federation, tournament director is John Wong Fan Kong while Chief Arbiter is Fide Arbiter Christopher Lim in the thirty minutes plus 30 seconds increment time control format, match points system. (Marlon Bernardino)

8-times World Chess Olympiad member International Master (IM) Rico Yap Mascarinas from Cebu (left) picked up his third win in the tournament as Board 2 player after beating Qing Yang Ng in their Sicilian defense duel.