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IM Pranesh M emerged as the winner of the Rilton Cup, the first tournament of the FIDE Circuit. The 16-year-old from India, seeded 22nd, made a clean sweep of the field in Stockholm, winning eight games and finishing a full point ahead of IM Kaan Kucuksari (Sweden) and GM Nikita Meshkovs (Latvia).

The 2022/2023 Rilton Cup, the strongest open tournament in Sweden, ran from December 27 to January 5 and brought together 136 players representing 29 national federations.

The champion crossed the 2500 rating threshold and became India’s 79th Grandmaster, having completed his three norms prior to this event.

Pranesh M is now the early leader of the FIDE Circuit with 6.8 circuit points that he gets for this victory. The one who accumulates the most points by the end of the year qualifies for the 2024 FIDE Candidates. More information is available on worldchampionshipcycle.fide.com/. Visit fide.com

Filipino Kim Yutangco Zafra finished tied for second and third overall on  Jan. 5 in the Rilton Cup 1800 and below Chess Championship (90 minutes + 30 seconds increment) at the Scandic Continental Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden. Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and final standings.

Zafra scored crucial wins in the last two rounds against Björn Åkerström (Round 6) and Patrik Andrén (Round 7) of Sweden to wrap up his campaign with 6.0 points on five wins and two draws, the same output of eventual second placer Benoit Poisseroux of France, who prevailed in the tie break.

Lavinia Valcu of Sweden took first with perfect 7.0 poins and pocketed 4,000 Swedish Krona; Poisseroux earned 3,000 Swedish Krona while Zafra received 2,000 Swedish Krona.

Zafra finished at 3rd place with 5 wins, 2 draws and zero loss. “A medal and two cash prizes ( 3rd place and Top Performer Award). A bit disappointing finish due to some bad draw matchup and even missed the chance to play the 1st and 2nd placer. But for someone seeded #25 finishing 3rd out of 90 participants is good enough. Thanks to the tournament organizer of Rilton Cup and to coach Chester Caminong for helping me improve my game.” Zafra posted in his facebook account.

It shall be recalled that the Europe based Zafra, fondly called The Gambling Mathematician won the Tallinna MK kiirturniiride sari SÜGIS`2022 (VI etapp) A Chess Championship 2022 held in Tallinn, Estonia last Nov. 26

by Marlon Bernardino
MANILA—International Master (IM) Jan Emmanuel Garcia pocketed the top honors in the Sir Herky Del Mundo Memorial Open Rapid Chess Tournament held at the Open Kitchen Foodhall, Rockwell Business Center, Sheridan Street, Mandaluyong City on January 3, 2023.

In photo above are from left to right: FIDE Master Anton Paolo Del Mundo, International Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia (champion), International Master Richilieu Salcedo III (2nd), International Master Ronald Dableo (3rd) and Bayanihan Chess Club founding president National Master Almario Marlon Quiroz Bernardino Jr.

The Ateneo de Manila University chess team program manager Garcia collected 6.5 points on six wins and a draw to win the FIDE rapid seven-round tournament, backed up by FIDE Master Anton Paolo Del Mundo, in close cooperation with Mam China Aurelio and Mam Mimi Casas of Open Kitchen, organized by Bayanihan Chess Club, sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, supervised by the Philippine Arbiters Chess Confederation.

“I knew that this was a tough tournament with all the talented players. I just tried to play my best and I am satisfied with the result,” said Garcia, coming up fresh from a first runner-up finish in the recently concluded GMG Open Rapid Chess Tournament last Saturday, December 31, 2022 at the same venue.

With his latest feat, Garcia pocketed the top prize of P10,000 and a gold medal.

Garcia scored victories over Woman National Master Antonella Berthe Racasa in the first round, Arena Grandmaster Joselito Asi in the second round, Jerry Areque in the third round, International Master Ricardo De Guzman in the fourth round, International Master Ronald Dableo in the sixth round and National Master Mark Jay Bacojo in the seventh and final round. He drew with Joseph Lawrence Rivera in the fifth round.

International Master Richilieu Salcedo III, Dableo, Grandmaster Rogelio Antonio Jr., Bacojo, De Guzman were tied at 2nd to 6th places with 6.0 points each.

Making it to the list of top ten performers were International Master Daniel Quizon (7th), Rivera (8th), FIDE Master Jeth Romy Morado (9th) and International Master Barlo Nadera (10th).

Asian Chess Federation will organize an online International Organizers Seminar 5-8 January 2023 by Zoom to educate organizers how to handle an International Event and the regulations necessary for the event to be FIDE certified. Applicants for the FIDE International Organizer title are required to attend a seminar and pass an examination in order to obtain their FIDE IO title. Certificates of Completion will be awarded to successful participants.

Register at the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe5PQ4Q_oVu5F9gaaN8PIKJtE7W87qr_mADOL4BbNa5hBsfsw/viewform

Lecturers are

IO Ozgur Solakoglu, Honorary Chairman of the FIDE Events Commission,

IO Casto Abundo, Executive Director of the Asian Chess Federation (ACF),

IO Abdulrahim Mahdi, Chairman of the ACF Arbiters Commission and

IO Mehrdad Pahlevanzadeh, Member of the ACF Executive Board and Counsellor of the FIDE Technical Commission.

Interested parties may register at google link by 3rd January 2022.

by Marlon Bernardino

AGM Angelito “Anji” Camer topped the 2022 Rooty Hill Blitz Chess Championship held in Sydney, Australia on Tuesday.
Camer collected 10.5 points on ten wins and one draw to claim the top honors in the eleven-round event. See crosstable.
Camer  scored victories over Dennis Okan in the first round, Daniel Wang in the second round, Jeremy Plunkett in the third round, James Phan in the fourth round, Saisiddharth Naraharasetty in the fifth round, Vihaan Anup Kumar in the seventh round, Rudra Verma in the eight round, Alexander Thuaux in the ninth round, Sayum Rupasinghe in the tenth round and Hans P Muller in the eleventh and final round.
He split the points with countryman Johnny Teves in the sixth round.
‘I’m so happy to have been part of such an incredible event’ said the Sydney, Australia based Camer.
It shall be recalled that the Las Piñas City native Camer won the Oceania Open Zonal Blitz Chess Championships after tallying 7.0 points on account of six wins, two draws and a loss in nine outings held at the Pacific Star Hotel in Guam last Feb. 24, 2019.-

Final Standings: (11 Rounds Swiss System, 49 player’s field)
10.5 points—AGM Angelito Camer (Philippines)
9.0 points—Jeremy Plunkett (Australia)
8.5 points—James Phan (Australia)
7.5 points—Saisiddharth Naraharasetty (India), Johnny Teves (Philippines)
7.0 points—Vihaan Anup Kumar (Australia), Tarek Rahman (Australia)
6.5 points—Hans P Muller (Australia), Daniel Wang (Australia), Yifu Wu (Australia), Terry Gao (Australia)

by Marlon Bernardino
Filipino Keiffer Pelias of Cabuyao City clinched the year-ending 19th Bois-Colombes Chess Master Open B Tournament held December 26–30, 2022, in Paris, France.

The former chess standout out of Letran-Calamba, Pelias’ tallied 8.0 points on a 7-win, 2-draw performance in nine rounds standard chess for a clear solo first place.

An all-important Pelias’ win over the top seed David Ohanov (3rd place) from Armenia in round seven and a draw against 2nd seed Moawia Ahmed Holi Ali (2nd place) from Sudan set the tone for the successful final round-nine encounter defeating Tinhinane Abdelaziz from Algeria for the title.

The Isabela Chess Club of the Philippines, Inc. 1st FIDE Rated Chess Tournament is scheduled 7-9 January 2023 at the Alicia Community Center in Alicia, Isabela. A total of P37,000 in cash prizes are at stake in the 7-round Swiss. Standard time control of 90 minutes plus 30 second increment for each player starting from move 1 shall apply.

Invited are GM Joey Antonio, IM Angelo Young, IM Joel Banawa, FM Robert Suelo, NM Marlon Bernardino, CM Genghis Imperial, FM Christopher Castellano, Ricardo Jimenez and Jose Conde.

by Marlon Bernardino
Sonsea Eda Agonoy of the Philippines won the 32nd North American Open Chess Tournament held at the Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA on December 30, 2022.

The Bacarra, Ilocos Norte native Agonoy collected 6.5 points on account of six wins and a draw to bag the 5,000 US dollar top purse.

The pride of Novaliches, Quezon City Agonoy posted six wins and a draw against Darren Wang of the United States in the seventh and final round enroute to the coveted title in the Under 1500 section.

“I just wanted to play fast today and make some good moves,” said the San Diego, California based Agonoy. “I was playing with no pressure.” he added.

Wang figured in a triple tie for second places with fellow six pointers Hengrui Zhang and Odbayar Yondon to each receive 1,600 US dollar for their efforts.

by Marlon Bernardino
Manila—Veteran campaigner Sherwin Tiu won the GMG Rapid Chess Tournament last Saturday, December 31, 2022 held at the 2nd Floor Open Kitchen Foodhall, Rockwell Business Center, Sheridan Street, Mandaluyong City.

Visit Chess-results.com – GMG CHESS Open Rapid Chess Tournament

Tiu finished alone with 6.5 points from seven games to win the top prize of P10,000 in the one day event organized by Bayanihan Chess Club and sponsored by Coach National Master Gerald Ferriol, in close cooperation with Mam China Aurelio and Mam Mimi Casas of Open Kitchen, sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, supervised by the Philippine Arbiters Chess Confederation.

International Master Daniel Quizon, Arena Grandmaster Jose Rafael “Jojo” Legaspi and International Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia were tied at 2nd to 4th places with 6.0 points each.

Making it to the list of top ten performers were International Master Ronald Dableo, Fide Master David Elorta, National Master Gerardo Cabellon, National Master Bob Jones Liwagon, National Master Robert Suelo Jr. and National Master Noel dela Cruz with 5.5 points each.

Special award to six years old Marco Polo Sanido and seven years old Zeus Lester Manaois.

The 6th Metro Davao Youth Chess Club-YMCA FIDE Rated Rapid Chess Championship is scheduled Saturday, 7th January 2023 at the YMCA in Davao City. The tournament is sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines. time control is 15 minutes plus 10 second increment in 7 rounds Swiss System.