Barangay 449 reigned supreme in the Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso Inter-Barangay Rapid Chess Team Tournament held Monday, September 8, 2025, at the Coleseo de Manila in Vistas Street, Tondo, Manila.
The squad was bannered by GM candidate Ronald Dableo (Board 1, 5.0 points), Samson Chhiu Chhin Lim III (Board 2, 5.0 points), Marco Jay Mabasa (Board 3, 6.0 points), and Arnold Dableo (Board 4, 4.5 points). Barangay 449 tallied six wins and one loss for 12.0 match points and 20.5 game points across seven rounds to clinch the top prize of P150,000.
“I’m very happy about this achievement,” said Dableo, who secured his third and final GM norm during the Dato Arthur Tan Malaysian Open Chess Championship on August 30, 2009, in Kuala Lumpur. However, to become the country’s 19th grandmaster, he still needs to raise his Elo rating to at least 2500.
Barangay 52 placed second with 11.0 match points and 22.0 game points. The team was composed of GM Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. (Board 1, 5.5 points), Robert Cacho (Board 2, 5.5 points), Sherwin Gian Romero (Board 3, 5.0 points), and Ruel Nisperos (Board 4, 6.0 points).
“I am very happy with our performance because almost all of the top players in Manila joined this tournament,” said Antonio, a 63-year-old former University of Manila standout. “I would like to thank Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso and the Manila Sports Council (MASCO) led by Mr. Dale Evangelista for supporting Philippine chess.”
Antonio, adjudged the top-board best player, will represent the Philippines in the 33rd FIDE World Senior Chess Championships (50+ and 60+) from October 20 to November 2 in Gallipoli, Italy, as well as the III Open Internacional de Ajedrez from November 8 to 16 in Alicante, Spain.
Finishing third was Barangay 410 (11.0 match points, 19.5 game points), composed of IM Michael Concio Jr. (Board 1, 5.5 points), Genghis Imperial (Board 2, 4.5 points), Mark Oliver Ingcad (Board 3, 4.5 points), and Princess Nicole Ballete (Board 4, 5.0 points).
Barangay 52 received P100,000 for second place, while Barangay 410 pocketed P70,000 for third.
Rounding out the top 10 were Barangay 48 (fourth), Barangay 46 (fifth), Barangay 4 (sixth), Barangay 53 (seventh), Barangay 431 (eighth), Barangay 265 (ninth), and Barangay 592 (tenth).
