GM Antonio in solo lead

4 points: Antonio 3.5 points: Short, Narayanan, Nguyen, 3 points: Dableo, Emperado, Montoya, Asuela

2.5 points: Grigorian, Tran T. M., Laylo, Garma, Mangao, Yap, Salubre,

Retanal, Magallanes, Tran M. T., Abelgas, Ganzon, Pagaran

BACOLOD CITY -- Grandmaster Rogelio "Joey" Antonio Jr. scored his fourth straight win at the expense of giant-killer Edsel Montoya in the Piaya Network 2017 Negros International Open Chess tournament at the Ikthus Osbron Hall here.

Antonio pounced on Montoya's mistake in the middlegame under time pressure to seize the solo lead in the international event.

Top seed and super-GM Nigel Short bounce back with a win after being held to a draw in the third round and towed fourth seed GM Srinath Narayanan of Inda and fifth seed GM Nguyen Duc Hoa of Vietnam with 3.5 points.

Play will resume on Monday following a break today with Short taking on Antonio on top board. Short plays white in an all-important match while Nguyen takes on Narayanan.

Short, the 52-year-old former challenger to the world crown, capitalized on Yap's weak 28th knight move, that allowed Short to capture an important queenside pawn that gave the Briton an unstoppable counter.

Narayanan beat young Minh Thang Tran in 41 moves of a Reti and continued his steady climb while Nguyen made short work of unheralded Danmaersk Mangao.

International Master Ronald Dableo beat fellow IM Chito Garma and led three others with three points which included Montoya and Ellan Asuela and Emmanuel Emperado.

Second seed Karen Grigorian bounced back into contention and led a huge group of 3.5 pointers which included GM Tran Tuan Minh of Vietnam, GM Darwin Laylo, Jayson Salubre, Elwin Retanal, Rey Magallanes, Tran Minh Thang, Roel Abelgas, Rommel Ganzon, Michael Pagaran and Garma, Mangao and Yap.