Chess at Casa Descallar

The following report was received from Pinoy chess master, Marlon Bernadino. It's an account of the "invitational" chess tournament held at Levi's home following the SIO. (Marlon is the man who defeated GM Sergei Shipov on Saturday morning.)

The Levi Invitational:
Filipino and United States Chess Master Almario Marlon Bernardino Jr. emerged over-all champion in the 10-man invitational blitz chess tournament here at the Descallar house in Plumpton last Sunday.

Bernardino who holds an Elo Fide rating of 2146 edged out fellow national master Homer Cunanan, 1.5-0.5, in the finals of the double round robin format, enroute to the title which was hosted by the Descallar family.

Bernardino, a chess and billiard reporter back home in Manila finished with 14.5 points, 1.5 points ahead with runner-up FM Jesse Noel Sales, the 2005 Australian Masters Open champion, with 13.0 points.

In third place was Ed Agulto with 12.5 points followed by NM Cunanan with 11.5 points.

Other players who participated were Levi Descallar, brother Jonathan and Jesson Montenegro, Francis Picart , Benny Galvez and Ronald Manila, a former Philippine kiddie champion. Ronald works here with a Filipino language radio program.

The SIO
Bernardino was also adjudged over-all top Filipino finisher (on tie break) with 5.5 points in the inaugural Sydney International Open Chess Championship, the feature event of the Parramata Chess Festival. The tournament was won by third seed, Ukrainian GM Georgy Timoshenko (2566) late on Saturday.

On the other hand, Bernardino, who caught the attention of the audience in the penultimate round by beating top seed, GM Sergei Shipov (Russia, 2592), to finish in 33rd place. He failed to earn his first possible IM norm after losing his final round match against FM Igor Bjelobrk (NSW, 2386) after a marathon 50 move Reti Opening.

Easter Cup
The Descallar win was Bernardino's second in his Sydney international chess campaign. Immediately preceding the SIO the Cabravale Digger’s Chess Club hosted it's annual Sydney Easter Chess Cup dubbed as lightning chess or much popular blitz chess game in Cabramatta and Canley Valle RSL here. He finished with an impressive 10/11 points to take the title.

The last time Bernardino saw action in oversees chess tournament was when he finished runner-up to eventual champion Hilton Bennett of New Zealand in the 2006 Palau International in Koror, Palau.

Bernardino was awarded the Filipino NM title when he finished in the top 10 of 1998 RP elimination round in SSS, Quezon City. He earned his elusive US CM title in the 1998 National Chess Congress in Philadelphia.