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by Marlon Bernardino. 
THE Cavite Spartans scored another 16.5-4.5 sterling victory over Cordova Dutchess Dagami Warriors to strengthen their bid in the on-going All Filipino Conference Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP)  Wednesday, (February 24, 2021) held online on the lichess platform.
After absorbing a heart-breaking loss to Zamboanga Sultans, 10-11, and Camarines Soaring Eagles, 8-13,  last Saturday (February 17, 2021), the Cavite woodpushers came back strong as Kevin Arquero (in photo, right), International Master Petronio Roca, Ricardo Batcho, Jayson Visca and Louercel Hernandez Ecot mauled their respective foes.
Arquero toppled National Master Edsel Montoya in 46 moves of Caro-Kann defense on board one, Roca dismantled National Master Mario Mangubat in 39 moves of Modern defense on board four, Batcho subdued Rex Androe Cabungcal in 37 moves of Caro-Kann defense on board five, Visca checkmated Franciso Rivera in 65 moves of Queen’s Pawn Game on board six while Ecot outclassed Dione Patrick Minoza in 41 moves of Stonewall System Opening on board seven to win the rapid section, 11-3, victory was sealed.
Allan Pason and Woman International Master Bernadette Galas carried the fight for the Dutchess Dagami Warriors.
Pason halved the point with Arena Grandmaster Marlon Bernardino in 18 moves of London System Opening on board two while Galas defeated Melizah Ruth Carreon in 74 moves of French defense on board three.
The Spartans encountered an easy win in the blitz portion, scoring a 5.5-1.5.
The Spartans improved to 11-10 win-loss record in the Northern Division while the Dutchess Dagami Warriors dropped to 6-15 in the Southern Division.
Prior to beating the Dutchess Dagami Warriors, the Spartans, bannered by Arquero, crushed the Cebu City Machers, 13.5-7.5.
The Spartans backed up by Rep. Jon-Jon A. Ferrer, Mayor Ony A. Ferrer, Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Deputy Director General Tereso O. Panga, Mam Elvira Roca of Skin Magical Dist4 ,CARSIGMA Cavite and JC Premiere Business Center Office Marikina look to another great performance Saturday night (February 27, 2021) when they face Iloilo Kisela Knights and Iriga City Oragons.
The 24-team pro chess tournament is organized by PCAP, headed by President-Commissioner Atty. Paul Elauria; Chairman Michael Angelo Chua; and treasurer Atty. Arnel Batungbakal.
The games are sanctioned by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), headed by Chairman Abraham “Baham” Mitra and supported by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Chairman/President Rep. Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr.

by Marlon Bernardino.
The Philippines’ youngest Arena Grandmaster Christian Gian Karlo Arca of Panabo City, Davao del Norte ruled the Battle of Sharp Kids Diamonds Arena Under-18 online chess tournament last Monday, February 22, 2021 at lichess.org.
Arca, a grade six pupil (Neptune) of Panabo Central Elementary School, tallied a total of Arena 36 points to win the title, in this event which attracted 74 woodpushers and backed up by Bayanihan Chess Club founding chairman Engr. Antonio “Uncle Paps” Balinas and Bethesda, Maryland US based frontliner Dr. Joe Balinas, as well Bayanihan Chess Club board member Jimmy Reyes and Engr. Ernie Faeldonia and Mam Rhina Mallari Aristorenas .
“It’s hard to explain what I’m feeling right now. Winning the Battle of Sharp Kids Diamonds Arena Under-18 online chess tournament meant so much to me,” said Arca, who will celebrate his 12th birthday this coming Saturday.
“I’m really happy,” added Arca, whose local and international online chess campaign is supported by Atty. Jong Guevarra.
Karlycris Clarito Jr.of Pasig City finished second place with Arena 34 points, in the 10 minutes plus 2 seconds time control format, organized by FA/FT/AGM and NM Rudy Ibanez, who is also the Worldwide Junior coordinator for Sharp Kids Diamonds Team.
In third place is Darwin Villanueva Jr. of Tanauan, Batangas who scored Arena 32 points followed by fourth placer Jeremiah Yap Mendoza of Santa Maria, Romblon who notched Arena 28 points.
Rohanisah Buto of Cainta, Rizal and Kate Nicole Ordizo of Alaminos, Pangasinan, meantime finished tied for fifth to sixth places with Arena 26 point.
At 7th to 10th place were Cyrus James Damiray of Tanza, Cavite (24 pts.),  Carl Daluz of Bulan, Sorsogon (24 pts.), Ericka Ordizo of Alaminos, Pangasinan (24 pts.) and Jasper Faledonia of Odiongan, Romblon (22 pts.).

by Marlon Bernardino.
Woman National Master Jean Karen Enriquez beat Jinky Catulay in 73 moves of a Scandinavian Defense to lead the Laguna Heroes to an 18-3 victory over Toledo City Trojans in the All Filipino Conference Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) on Wednesday, February 24, 2021 on online tournament at the lichess platform.
‘I’m very happy with my game,” said WNM Enriquez, former top player of Jose Rizal University chess team.

“I think WNM Jean Karen Enriquez showed good quality of chess today,” said Philippine Executive Chess Association (PECA) president Dr. Alfredo “Fred” Paez, one of the four co-team owners of the Laguna Heroes that includes  Engineer Benjamin Dy, Engineer Jonathan Mamaril and David Nithyananthan.
Arizona, US based two-time Asian Junior Champion Grandmaster Rogelio “Banjo” Barcenilla Jr., played black and also scored a win, checkmating Ronald Ganzon on board one. FIDE Master Jose Efren Bagamasbad trounced National Master Carlos Cabuenos on board four, Vince Angelo Medina defeated Richard Natividad on board six and Kimuel Aaron Lorenzo nipped Christopher Tubalado on board 7 to win the rapid section, 12-2, to seal the victory.
FIDE Master Austin Jacob Literatus, meantime halved the point with National Master Rogelio Enriquez Jr. on board two while Grandmaster Joh Paul Gomez settled for a truce with National Master Rommel Ganzon on board five.
The Laguna Heroes backed up by Greatech Philippines, Inc., SDC Global Choice and Jolly Smile Dental Clinic also prevailed in the blitz portion, 6-1, against the Toledo City Trojans.
Earlier, the Laguna Heroes dismantled Surigao Fianchetto Checkmates, 15-6.
With back-to-back victories, Laguna moved into a two-way tie for the lead with San Juan at an 18-3 win-loss record in the Northern Division while Toledo City dropped to 12-8 in the Southern Division.
The Laguna Heroes look to another great performance Saturday night (February 27, 2021) when they face Zamboanga Sultans and Camarines Soaring Eagle.
The 24-team pro chess tournament is organized by PCAP, headed by President-Commissioner Atty. Paul Elauria; Chairman Michael Angelo Chua; and treasurer Atty Arnel Batungbakal.
The games are sanctioned by the Games and Amusements Board (GAB), headed by Chairman Abraham “Baham” Mitra and supported by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Chairman/President Rep. Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr.

(Team Standings/ Note: * with pending games)
Northern Division
Laguna 18-3
San Juan 18-3
Caloocan * 17-3
Manila 15-6
Rizal 14-7
Cavite 11-10
Pasig 10-11
Antipolo * 9-11
Isabela 8-13
Olongapo 6-15
Quezon *4-16
Cagayan 4-17
Southern Division
Negros 18-3
Camarines 18-3
Iloilo 17-4
Toledo * 12-8
Zamboanga 12-9
Lapu-Lapu 10-11
Mindoro 8-13
Cordova 6-15
Surigao 5-16
Cebu 4-17
Iriga * 13-7
Palawan * 2-18

Christian Gian Karlo Arca of Panabo City, Davao del Norte bounced back and avenged his loss in an epic chess battle that took place Saturday, February 20, 2021 at lichess online platform dubbed as Bayanihan Chess Club Match Up series.
Arca, a grade six pupil (Neptune) of Panabo Central Elementary School asserted his dominance over Al-Basher Buto of Cainta, Rizal, 8-2,  in the race-to-8, 2 minutes bullet time control format, in this event supported by Atty. Jong Guevarra, organized by Bayanihan Chess Club and was aired worldwide through the Internet at Deorico de Paz Youtube Channel and Jolina Icao Youtube Channel.
Arca took home the top prize worth P1,500 while Buto, meantime received P1,000.
Arca who turning 12 this coming Saturday, led the match 4-0 and 5-1, before Buto, rallied at the end to get within one win at 5-2. From there, Arca won the next remaining three match enroute to the 8-2 victory.
“Luck was on my side until the end,” said Arca, who earlier loss to eventual champion Buto in the 2nd Jessie Villasin Cup online chess tournament last Saturday.
“I did my best but Christian still emerged better,” said Buto, who is leading one point in their match ups after the rapid and blitz game last week.
Arca, who honed his chess skills under the guidance of Arena Grandmaster Henry Roger Lopez and Arena Grandmaster Voltaire Marc Paraguya. “I looked forward to play against Al-Basher again in the future,” added the country’s youngest AGM.
Arca’s next opponent will be Oshrie Jhames Reyes of Santa Rita, Pampanga, who brought down Arnel Mahawan Jr. of San Rafael, Bulacan, 8-6, last February 5

Fourteen year old KM Sanudula Dahamdi of Musaeus College won the 2nd Sri Lanka Women’s Chess Grand Prix 2021 convincingly at the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka headquarters today. She led the event from the start and finished with 9 points out of possible 11 games. She strongly came up with a win in the penultimate round, the crucial game against the silver medalist, Niklesha Tharusi. Having 1 point lead she got a draw in the final round with Esha Pallie to finish the event. She had one loss to Sandeepani Tharushi, Two draws with Dasuni Mendis, and Esha Pallie and won all other 8 games. Sanudula is awarded the Championship Trophy, Gold Medal and Rs. 30,000/- in cash.

Niklesha Tharushi of Visakha Vidyalaya also had a good event with following Sanudula very closely from the start but lose in the penultimate round did the damage. With the final round win against she managed to win the Silver Medal and Rs. 20,000/- in cash.

The 2nd Sri Lanka Women’s Chess Grand Prix 2021 is conducted by the Chess Federation of Sri Lanka from 13th to 21st February 2021 with a total Prize fund of Rs. 70,000/=. Only 12 top players in the country are participating in this one of the strongest Women Chess events which is conducted on Round Robin Basis for 11 rounds.

Pasindi Yathra Wijesuriya managed to equalize Dasuni Mendis also from Visakha Vidyalaya with 7 points due to her loss in the last round to a lesser rated player. Pasindi won the Bronze medal on the better tie breaker. Pasindi with a good day scored two wins against Oshini Gunawardena and Gaveshi Wickramarathne in 10^th and 11^th rounds. Dasuni beat Gimashi Weerathunga in the 10^th round and lost to Jayandi Bimansa in the last round. They share the 3^rd and 4^th cash awards of Rs 16,000/=. The fifth place went to Esha Pallie of Visakha Vidyalaya.

Final Standings

Rk. Name Club/School Pts.

1. WCM Sanudula K M Dahamdi        Musaeus College          – 9
2. WCM Tharushi T H D Niklesha       Visakha Vidyalaya      –  8
3. WCM Wijesuriya G P Y                   Visakha Vidyalaya      – 5
4. WFM Mendis Dasuni Hansika         Visakha Vidyalaya      – 7
5. WCM Pallie Ehsha Mishela              Visakha Vidyalaya      – 6 ½
6. Sandeepani M Tharushi                   Devi Balika Vidyalaya – 6
7. Abeywardana N T                                – 5 ½
8. Abeysinghe H M H Janandani         NSBM Green University 4 ½
9. Gunawardhana Oshini                    Ferguson High School – 3 ½

10. Weerathunga W Gimashi Dewlini Anula Vidyalaya          – 3 ½
11. Bimansa D G Jayandi       Bandaragama Central College   – 3
12. Wickramarathne P W G Gaveshi   Castle Siege Chess Club – 2 ½

You may observe games from the following link:

2nd Sri Lanka Women’s Chess Grand Prix – 2021

Link https://view.livechesscloud.com#a4c60806-9110-4891-b324-5b37df93c64d

“Tamil Nadu is like a second home to me, I have played in Palani Tournament eleven times,” said Bharat Singh Chauhan while replying to felicitations in the function organised by Rotary Club of Chennai, Velachery at Hotel Raj Park in Chennai recently.

While replying to felicitations, 1958-born Bharat Singh said Tamil Nadu has plenty of chess culture. “It is important to respect the chess player,” said Bharat Singh who was thrilled to be in the midst of majority of Tamil Nadu’s chess Grand Masters and International Masters. Bharat Singh thanked S Kailasanathan and Microsense for the various support for chess and the Kramnik Training camps for Indian players in Chennai and in Europe.

Chess Patron and Managing Director of Microsense, S Kailasanathan said Bharat Singh’s winning the AICF elections is a “new beginning for chess in India”. The game has won. Chess should grow from strength to strength, concluded Kailasanathan in his brief but clear message for the future. Players are waiting for the National Chess League and Tamil Nadu Chess League and are hopeful about the new regime.

India’s International Arbiter, 77-year old, V Kameswaran said Bharat Singh has a helpful nature and cited his own Baku example. “Rotary means service, this event is their service to chess.” Indian chess is in the dynamic hands of Bharat Singh, he believed.

Rtn Meganathan, President of the Rotary Club of Chennai, Velachery said their organisation had spent 2.3 billion dollars to eradicate polio in its 115-year existence among other achievements.

A total of 17 GMs attended this star studded evening function that included buffet dinner in the heart of Chennai city. Former FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s first Press Meeting in Chennai and FIDE awarding the Anand v Carlsen 2013 match by Israel Gelfer were both held in this same Hotel Raj Park. The full capacity seventh floor hall was the largest chess gathering of titled players in the last 12 months in India.

In five days, a band of committed people led by co-ordinator S.C. Subramanian made this show possible. The Master of Ceremonies was Namashivayam, father of WIM Pon N Krithika.

A Vedasubramaniam, Correspondent, Sree Sankara Bala Vidyalaya Golden Jubilee School said his school had chess in the last period and chess coaches from the vicinity were teaching them. So, during the lockdown, our students were quietly able to play chess at home unlike other children. For his national and International success, Avalpoondurai Ravikumar Ilamparthi was offered free education in his school right until twelfth standard by Vedasubramaniam. He said Ilamparthi’s brother is a special child and had to be carried by his mother, a Corporation School Teacher.

The players were honoured through Grassroots Chess Promotions and its patron S Kailasanathan.  It is significant that Kailasanathan was the Tamil Nadu State Champion exactly 50 years ago at Trichy 1971. When Dutch chess ace Jan Timman came to play his FIDE Candidates match at Sanghinagar (near Hyderabad) in 1994 he told this writer, “Once a chess player, always a chess player.” He also said about a kind of addiction that chess can cause. Kailasanathan has however, not come to play, but reward the talented and offer opportunities that are not otherwise available to them.

Chess players formed ninety percent of the couple of hundred people who formed the august gathering. That Rotarians formed more than ten percent, meaning many of them also played chess.

Grassroots Chess Promotion honoured Tamil Nadu chess players who achieved GM, IM, WGM, WIM titles in the last two years. Every titled player present was honoured and recognised and called up to receive a memento. So this was an event blended with chess players, arbiters, chess administrators and patrons. The Rotarians were more involved in felicitating Bharat Singh Chauhan. Due to Covid-19 and the conditions, there was no Chennai Open this year. Players used this opportunity to meet and greet each other.

In form Grand Masters  like P Iniyan of Erode, D Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa were honoured for winning international tournaments in 2019-2020. Grand Master couples, GM R.B. Ramesh and his wife WGM Aarthie Ramesh, and GM Sriram Jha and his wife WGM S Vijayalakshmi were present and honoured. Super GMs Adhiban and Sethuraman were honoured too. Deepan Chakkaravarthy, M.R. Venkatesh, Vishnu Prasanna and two time former national champion Karthikeyan Murali  were present and also picked up mementos.

Among the veteran people around was 76-year old IA K.R. Seshadri. Those who had retired from work were IA Srivatsan (VRS), IM Sudhakar Babu (VRS) and FM Shantharam. Evening is the prime coaching time. And considering that 80% of those who came also teach chess, they had to either reschedule their classes or cancel it for a date with fellow chess players and a handshake with Bharat Singh.

With most of the speeches having the common FIDE motto, “Gens Una Sumus” meaning “We are one family” it was difficult to know less than 50 people for those who had been into chess for as little as ten years. This meeting served as a felicitation, recognition for milestones and titles achieved and also meeting of old chess friends. It also gave a chance to congratulate Bharat Singh and pray for the introduction of the Indian Chess League.

By Arvind Aaron. Grassroots Chess Promotions awarded twelve Tamil Nadu players who achieved accolades in the last two years. The function to honour them happened at Hotel Raj Park in Chennai’s busy Alwarpet area at a buffet dinner on February 17, 2021.

Two of the twelve awardees became Grand Masters in these difficult Covid-19 times! G Akash (second from left in photo above) who had at one time won the Indian National Title at Kolkata as a teenager won the Prague Open on Feb 22, 2020 by finishing ahead of the 42 Grand Masters to complete his fourth Grand Master norm. The other Tamil Nadu player to become a Grand Master was N.R. Visakh (holding award below) who completed his requirements in 2019.

Four players, R Vaishali (photo below), Srija Seshadri, V Varshini and P.V. Nandhidhaa (not present) became Woman Grand Masters in the last couple of years and was awarded. All four of them are actively representing India in various international events. Vaishali was even a member in the Olympiad Gold Medal winning Indian team. The participation of the Men’s team in Olympiads began in Moscow 1956 and our women’s team began from Buenos Aires 1978. A dream ended with the Indians winning gold medals in 2020.

Five players, G.B. Harshavardhan, A Ra. Harikrishnan, Siva Mahadevan, H Bharath Subramaniyam and M Pranesh (not present) became International Masters. Bharath Subramaniyam is only 14 and recorded a stunning 2700 rating performance in the Aeroflot Open in Moscow 2020. He also made a GM norm. Pranesh importantly comes from remote Karaikudi in interior Tamil Nadu.

Woman International Master Rakshitta Ravi (not present) completed her title and also won the World U-16 Girls title three months back. Her awards were received by her father and International Master T.S. Ravi.

Looking beyond the players, Grassroots Chess Promotions also awarded two coaches. Grand Master N Srinath for being Vice Captain of the Indian Olympiad team. The other awardee was Grand Master M Shyam Sundar, who trained the Indian Youth to win titles and medals in the Online FIDE events.

Most of India’s 67 Grand Masters hail from Tamil Nadu state, a Southern region in the Indian Sub-Continent as large as Greece in Europe. Tamil Nadu and Greece also have a comparable GDP of around $260 billion too. However, Tamil Nadu has around three times the number of Grand Masters than Greece. Keeping the comparison going, Greek is the oldest documented language while Tamil is the oldest spoken language and both are oldest surviving classical languages today.

The 12 awardees received a garland and their name inscribed on stylish shields that they should treasure for a long time to come. The presentation of awards was done by All India Chess Federation Honorary Secretary Bharath Singh Chauhan who was also felicitated by the Rotary Club of Chennai, Velachery at the same venue.

The exclamation mark in the headline is due to Bharat Singh ending up honouring the players in a function where he was to be felicitated and honoured. He would not mind this since he is one of the player friendly administrators in the country.

The You Tube link to this event can be seen at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsxaMw6-ihw&feature=youtu.be
Time: 1hr.18m
https://youtu.be/UsxaMw6-ihw

by Marlon Bernardino
Philippine chess wizard Al-Basher Buto pocketed top honors in the 2nd Jessie Villasin Cup online chess tournament held at the lichess platform on Saturday, February 20, 2021.
The 11-year-old Buto, a grade five student of Faith Christian School in Cainta, Rizal collected six points on five wins and two draws to win the seven-round tournament.
Fondly called “Basty” in the chess world, he scored victories against Stephanie Jabagat of Puerto Princesa City in the first round, Quarl Vera Cruz of Misamis Oriental in the second round, Oshrie Jhames Reyes of Santa Rita, Pampanga in the third round, Arena Grandmaster Christian Gian Karlo Arca of Panabo City, Davao del Norte in the fourth round and Christian Tolosa of Imus, Cavite in the fifth round
He split the point with John Curt Valencia of Dasmarinas City, Cavite in the sixth round and Gabriel Ryan Paradero of Pasig City in the seventh and final round.
Valencia placed second overall with 5.5 points on five wins, one draw and one loss while AGM Arca, who had inferior tiebreak points, ended in third with the same 5.5 points output.
Vera Cruz, meantime landed at solo fourth place with 4.5-points output.
At 5th to 10th places were Jian Carlo Rivera of Rodriguez, Rizal (4 pts.), Gabriel Ryan Paradero of Pasig City (4 pts.), Christian Tolosa of Imus City, Cavite (4 pts.), John Luis Rivera of Rodriguez, Rizal (3.5 pts.), Oshrie Jhames Reyes of Santa Rita, Pampanga (3.5 pts.) and Stephanie Jabagat of Puerto Princesa City (3.5 pts.).
It shall be recalled that Ivan Travis Cu of San Juan City emerged champion in the 1st Jessie Villasin Cup online chess tournament held at the lichess platform last February 13, 2021.
Cu scored 6.5 points in seven games of play to edge Buto and Arca who finished second and third, respectively, in the 21-player field, elementary division of the rapid five minutes plus five seconds increment time control format. Buto earned  six points while Arca got five points in this event, organized by Mobile Chess Club Philippines Libangan Team

(Final Standings: 7 Round Swiss System, 5 minutes plus 5 seconds increment time control format, 17-player field, )
6 points—Al Basher-Buto (Cainta, Rizal)
5.5 points—John Curt Valencia (Dasmarinas City, Cavite), AGM Christian Gian Karlo Arca  (Panabo City, Davao del Norte)
4.5 points— Quarl Vera Cruz (Misamis Oriental)
4 points—Jian Carlo Rivera (Rodriguez, Rizal), Gabriel Ryan Paradero (Pasig City), Christian Tolosa (Imus City, Cavite)
3.5 points— John Luis Rivera (Rodriguez, Rizal), Oshrie Jhames Reyes (Santa Rita, Pampanga), Stephanie Jabagat (Puerto Princesa City)