SPORTS HUBS

Many-time Philippine Chess Olympiad member Rogelio “Banjo” Barcenilla Jr. recently become a full-pledged Grandmaster joining the growing elite list of Filipino Grandmasters.
The Iligan City born Barcenilla which is now based in Texas, USA, whipped GM Zviad to gain his third and final GM result in the just concluded Copper State International Chess Championship held in Mesa, Arizona.
Barcenilla, a former Asian Junior Champion collected 7 points in 10 outings in the event that was won by Uzbek GM Timur Gareev which finished with 8 points.
With the feat Barcenilla became the 12th Filipino GM after Eugene Torre, the late Rosendo Balinas Jr., Joey Antonio, Bong Villmayor, Nelson Mariano II, Mark Paragua. Chess prodigy Wesley So, Darwin Laylo, Jayson Gonzales, John Paul Gomez, and Joseph Sanchez.
Rosendo accumulated 15 Elo points, boosting his Elo rating to 2518 and catapulting him to fourth among top Filipino woodpushers that is led by chess prodigy and World Under 16 No. 1 player Wesley So which totes 2646 Elo rating (the best ever Elo rating posted by a Filipino).
Torre, Asia’s first Grandmaster is at second place with 2560 points, a shave ahead of Rogelio Antonio, who had a 2559 points in the Fide ratings released last July 1.

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