Pinoy Superstar

Did you know that if your chess rating is over 2700 and you can put up a $US2million guarantee, you have the right to challenge the World Champion to a title match?

That's the case, and I'm pleased to say that we have somebody in the club who's half-way qualified to do that. No, it's not Gary Lane, and it's not Tony Bouchaaya. It's Rolando Gonzales!

Last Monday night in the weekly Allegro Tournament, Rolando won 6/6 beating such worthy opponents as Leo Tenorio, Levi Descallar, Noel Mangrobang, Peter Cassettari (I think), myself, and one other. It gave him a performance rating on the night of around 2750!

Nice one, Rolando.

Now, if you can get FIDE to ratify that score, and if you can find the $2mill, you can go knocking on Mr Kramnik's door.

(Of course, you might have to do a bit of shoving to get Veselin Topalov's manager, Silvio Danailov, out of the way. He's been knocking there for a couple of months now, but Vlad won't let him come in.)