CHASING an elusive third and final norm to be the country’s 18th Grandmaster, Filipino International Master Oliver Dimakiling hopes to sustain his winning ways in the ongoing Grand Copthorne Professor Lim Kok Ann Invitational GM Tournament 2022 at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront in Singapore.

The Davao City native Dimakiling, who is now based in Dubai as a chess trainer, halved the point with newly-minted Singaporean GM Tin Jingyao in yesterday’s fourth round to remain on top of the lead with the latter at 3.5 points each.

Celebrating his 42nd birthday on Wednesday, Dimakiling was undefeated in the first three rounds, besting GM Nguyen Anh Dung of Vietnam, Woman Grandmaster Gong Qianyun of Singapore, and International Master James Morris of Australia in succession.

Dimakiling needs just one more norm to fulfill his long-cherished GM dreams, and follow in the footsteps of Asia’s first Grandmaster Eugene Torre and 17 others.

“IM Dimakiling leads the tourney after three rounds with perfect three points. His match with Jingyao and later with the top seed GM Adhiban B of India are both crucial to his GM ambition,” said Dimakiling’s local chess godfather, lawyer Jose Dionesio ‘Jong’ Guevarra Jr.

Prior to meeting Dimakiling, Jingyao defeated Adhiban, Indonesian IM Irine Kharisma Sukandar, and his Singaporean compatriot IM Jagadeesh Siddharth to catch up with the Filipino at the top.

“Oliver could have nailed the GM title in two previous events where he was almost there but unfortunately bungled his chances. Hopefully, he will succeed this time around because he’s long overdue for it considering his talent,” National Master Nelson Villanueva told Gold Star Daily.

Dimakiling, who rose to fame when he upsets GM Torre as a teenager, got his first GM norm when he tied for first place in the Malaysian Open in 2006.

The second norm came when he finished runner-up in the all-Filipino Battle of the GMs in Boracay in 2012, and had already cracked the 2500 ELO barrier which is one requisite for a full-pledged GM status.

“For a number of years, the country has been longing, thirsting, and wanting for another GM to come,” said chess journalist and US Master Marlon Bernardino.

Since Torre achieved the GM feat in 1974, followed by Rosendo Balinas Jr in 1976, the much younger Rogelio Antonio Jr did his share in 1990.

Then a plethora of next generation Filipino GMs came, starting in Year 2000 with the likes of Buenaventura Villamayor, Nelson Mariano II (2004), Mark Paragua (2005), Darwin Laylo (2007), Wesley So (2007), Jayson Gonzales (2008), John Paul Gomez (2008), Joseph Sanchez (2009), Rogelio Barcenilla (2009), Roland Salvador (2010), Julio Catalino Sadorra (2011), Oliver Barbosa (2011), Richard Bitoon (2011), and Enrico Sevillano (2012).