Filipino chess prodigy Daniel Quizon fulfilled his lifelong dream of becoming a Grandmaster, securing the prestigious title and propelling the Philippines to a dominant 4-0 victory over Monaco in the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad.
The win catapulted the Philippines closer to the Top 10 after four rounds of the tournament.
The 20-year-old International Master from Dasmariñas, Cavite, defeated GM Igor Efimov in a 37-move King’s Indian duel, earning the necessary two rating points to surpass the 2500 plateau and achieve Grandmaster status.
Quizon was elated by his accomplishment and received a P1-million reward from Dasmariñas Mayor Jenny Barzaga.
The Philippines’ dominance extended beyond Quizon’s victory, as GM Julio Catalino Sadorra, IMs Pau Bersamina, and Jan Emmanuel Garcia also secured wins on boards one, three, and four, respectively.
The impressive performance lifted the Filipinos, seeded 51st out of 197 teams, to a 25-country tie at 13th place with six match points. They will now face the 26th-seeded Slovenians in the fifth round.
Quizon’s achievement inspired the women’s team, led by Shania Mae Mendoza, who defeated El Salvador, 4-0.
The victory propelled the Filipinas to a 30-nation tie at No. 13.
Janelle Mae Frayna, Jan Jodilyn Fronda, and Bernadette Galas also contributed to the team’s success with decisive wins.
Mendoza, a 26-year-old from Sta. Rosa, Laguna, faced a challenging match against Andrea Cortez but emerged victorious in a 60-move Sicilian duel. She attributed her win to her best efforts and expressed surprise at her ability to overcome the obstacles in the game.
In the overall Open section, India maintained its dominance, defeating France, 3.5-0.5, to share the lead with seven other teams.
Southeast Asian powerhouse Vietnam also made a significant impact, shocking defending champion Uzbekistan, 3-0.
The Ukrainians caused a major upset by defeating top seed United States, 2.5-1.5, with Vasyl Ivanchuk’s victory over Wesley So on second board being a key factor.
