By Lynde Salgados
Correspondent
FÉDÉRATION Internationale des Échecs (Fide) Master Sander Severino, the first Filipino world chess champion, showed his readiness to spearhead the Philippine Para chess team in PCAP 3rd Conference when he ruled another tough online chess tourney in the country.
The Silay, Negros Occidental-born Severino finished ahead of Grandmasters Darwin Laylo and Rogelio Antonio Jr. in the 500-man field to top the two-day Surigao Open Fiesta Online Chess Tournament 2021 concluded last Saturday.
Severino played around 34 games and notched 42 points on 21 wins and nine points on nine draws for a total of 51-point first-place finish worth the P2,000 top purse.
International Master Eric Labog and GM Laylo tallied 47 and 46 points each to emerge second and third placers and receive P1,000 and P500, respectively.
The 35-year-old Severino first broke into Philippine chess consciousness when he became a four-gold medalist in the 2018 Asian Para Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
But his biggest feat came in 2020 when Severino racked up an unbeaten mark of 8.5 points on eight wins and a draw, including a victory against Igor Yarmonov of Ukraine in the finals, to capture the International Physically Disabled Chess Association (IPCA) World Online Chess Rapid Championship crown.
The Cavite-born Wesley So, supposedly the most accomplished Filipino chess player, was the first to crown himself as world champion in Fischer-Random or Chess 960. But it cannot be counted since he represented the United States when he achieved it.
Severino will man the top-board position for the Philippine Para Chess Team as a guest in the September 16 opening of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) 3rd Conference.
“I guess he’s (Severino) more than ready to compete with the best in PCAP. He’s such an amazing talent who always tried to excel despite his physical disability,” said Engr. Rey Urbiztondo, who sponsored the P10,000 worth Surigao Open as his thanksgiving event for obtaining the highest online chess title ― the Arena Grandmaster ― at the age of 58 years old.
Rounding up the Surigao Open’s top-10 moneyed circle were IM Daniel Quizon (43 pts), IM Ronald Dableo (39 pts), GM Antonio (38 pts), Sherwin Tiu (37 pts), National Master Henry Lopez (37 pts), Kevin Arquero (37 pts) and Alekhine Nouri (36 pts).
Special prize winners were NM Jonathan Tan (top senior), Francois Marrie Magpily (top lady), Clarence Rendain (top kiddy), National Arbiter Junjun Jabay, Rogelio Canoy and Romuald Edillo as top three Surigaonons, and Ronel Pilan as top Surigao junior participant.
