Jhulo Goloran emerged as the champion in the Pozorrubio Invitational Chess Tournament last Saturday, August 17, 2024, at the 3rd floor Executive Building in Pozorrubio, Pangasinan, Philippines. In photo are, from left, NM Romeo Alcodia, NM Almario Marlon Bernardino Jr., Sherwin Tiu (2nd), Jhulo Goloran (Champion), Romy Torres Fagon (3rd), Pozorrubio Vice Mayor Engr. Ernesto “Snooky” Salcedo III (Tournament Director), Eduardo Suarez (Chief Arbiter) and Fidel Labuanan (Deputy Chief Arbiter).
Goloran, who plays for the Manila Indios Bravos in the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP), pocketed the P7,000 purse and the trophy for winning the tournament which saw over 75 players in this 1-day rapid chess tournament jointly organized by the Sangguniang Bayan and Sangguniang Kabataan, in line with its grassroots chess development program.
Goloran, an employee of Datamatics, collected a total of 6.5 points, conceding only a draw with Romy Torres Fagon of Urdaneta City in the fourth round.
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Sherwin Tiu of Manila finished second followed by Fagon, Abraham Bayron of Manila and Paul Tabago of Tarlac at third, fourth and fifth places, respectively.
Tiu tallied 6 points while Fagon, Bayron and Tabago each scored 5.5 points, but they were ranked according to their tie-break points. Tiu received P5,000, Fagon got P3,000, Bayron won P2,000 while Tabago earned P1,500.
Tournament Director Engr. Ernesto “Snooky” Salcedo III said in his address that the sport “provides people with logic. It provides people with a great order of process. It provides people the strategically meaningful processes of life,” said Salcedo, the Vice Mayor of this 1st class Municipality.
“Encouraging our children to play Chess may be our solution to developo critical thinking. Chess will expose them to an environment that facilitates creativity, strategic thinking and innovation.” said Salcedo.
“We believe in the Filipino chess players. We know we can really excel on the international stage.” Salcedo said.
A simultaneous game was also done by National Master Almario Marlon Bernardino Jr. of Binalonan, Pangasinan, In the 10 simultaneous games Bernardino won 7 games and drew three.
Bernardino, who is also a certified US Chess Master and an online Arena Grandmaster was held to a draw by the following players, Ericka Ordizo of Alaminos, Kim Andrea Mamaril of Binmaley and Jenric Kurt Aquino of Calasiao.
Meanwhile, Gansib Apilada (Pozorrubio only) and Joash Fritz Aquino (Kiddies category) topped their respective divisions.-Marlon Bernardino-