VIENTIANE CITY — Filipino chess prodigy, National Master Almario Marlon Bernardino Jr., clinched the gold medal at the 3rd Laos International Chess Open held at Parkson Naga Mall on Friday.
According to the Philippines News Agency, Bernardino, a former top player for Rizal Technological University in the 1990s, excelled in the FIDE Standard event, finishing with five wins and four draws, totaling seven points. He expressed his gratitude post-victory, “First of all, thanks to the Almighty, I dedicate my victory to my country! I would like to express my gratitude to my coach, 1996 RP junior champion FM Robert Suelo Jr. and his wife Mers, and to ALC Group of Companies chairman and CEO D. Edgard Cabangon for their full support in my international chess campaign.”
Bernardino demonstrated his chess prowess early in the tournament by defeating formidable opponents including Chinese player Feng Wenzhe, local Vilaphen Phaktong, fellow Filipino Franchesca Largo, and Vietnamese Bui Ngoc Phuong Nghi. He drew matches with Mark Gabriel Usman and Jemaica Yap Mendoza of the Philippines, Win Tun Htwe of Myanmar, and Nguyen Le Minh Uyen of Vietnam, before securing a crucial victory against Arena FIDE Master Seo Juwon from South Korea in the final round.
A seasoned sportswriter and radio commentator, Bernardino is not new to international acclaim. He earned the National Master title after placing seventh at the SSS Asian Zonal elimination round in 1998 and the same year achieved the US Chess Master title at the National Chess Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He also dominated the US Open Rapid Chess Championship in Arlington, Virginia, in 2005.
Looking ahead, Bernardino is set to compete in upcoming events, including the Singapore International Open from November 29 to December 5 and the 16th Penang Heritage City International Open in Malaysia from December 23 to 27.