International Chess Federation Master Arif Abdul Hafiz beat International Master Rolando Nolte and grabbed solo leadership after six rounds of the Manny Pacquiao/1000 GM International Chess Open Sunday in General Santos City.

After being stalled with a draw in the third round, Hafiz strung up three straight wins including the pivotal win against Nolte in a positional Sicilian Closed game.

Nolte, who went four-of-four and held the solo lead erstwhile, was held to a draw in the fifth round, and lost steam against Hafiz. He resigned after 61 moves and dropped to 4.5 points in a tie for fifth to eighth place.

The 24-year-old Indonesian Hafiz has 5.5 points. Breathing down his neck half a point behind are the top three seeds going into the last three crucial rounds of this rich tournament bankrolled by boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.

Top seed grandmaster Novendra Priasmoro of Indonesia is also coming back strong after losing to Nolte in the third round. He beat local heroes Edgar Reggie Olay, Ellan Asuela and IM Oleg Bagmatsyrenov, who is playing under the FIDE flag, in succession.

Local grandmaster and third seed Darwin Laylo likewise has five points. He was playing the white pieces as of press time against the well-groomed Priasmoro while Hafiz was matched against second seed International Master Josiah Stearman of the United States.

The 20-year-old Stearman, who is also representing the sponsoring 1000 GM of American chess benefactor Srikanth Bangalore, is on a four-game winning streak.