GM Nguyen Duc Hoa of Vietnam won the Masters division while Marlon Bernardino of the Philippines topped the Amateurs division in the 3rd Laos International Chess Open organized by the Laos Chess Federation 1-6 September 2024 in Vientaine, Laos.
A total of 41 players from 11 countries competed in the 9 round Swiss system tournament. Visit chess-results.com for round by round results.
US Chess Master Almario Marlon Quiroz Bernardino Jr. of the Philippines (second from right), 47, a veteran sportswriter and radio commentator, won clear first place in the parallel 3rd Laos International Chess Open 2024.
Bernardino played under the tutelage of 1996 RP Junior Champion Coach FM Robert Suelo Jr. and with the full support of Mers Lodronio Suelo and ALC Group of Companies Chairman and CEO D. Edgard Cabangon. A former top player of Rizal Technological University (RTU) Barangay Malamig, Mandaluyong City chess team in the mid 90’s, Bernardino dominated the FIDE Standard Tournament by securing 5 wins and 4 draws to raise his total 7 points in the 9 round competition.
NM Bernardino defeated Feng Wenzhe of China, Vilaphen Phaktong of Laos, Franchesca Largo of the Philippines and Bui Ngoc Phuong Nghi of Vietnam in the first and fourth rounds, respectively.
He snapped his four-match winning streak when he had a draw against Mark Gabriel Usman and Jemaica Yap Mendoza of the Philippines, Win Tun Htwe of Myanmar, Nguyen Le Minh Uyen of Vietnam, in order. He beat Arena FIDE Master Seo Juwon of South Korea in the last round to secure the win.
It shall be recalled that NM Bernardino won the 2005 Arlington, Virginia USA Open Rapid Chess Championship. Bernardino got his National Master title when he finished overall 7th during the 1998 SSS Asian Zonal Elimination round. The same year, Bernardino earned his United States chess master title in the National Chess Congress and was held at the Adams Mark Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
