Barcenilla, Salvador: RP's new GMs

(IN PHOTO: GM Roland Salvador, left, and GM Rogelio Barcenilla)

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

MANILA---ROGELIO "Banjo" Barcenilla (2518) and Roland "Kulot"Salvador (2511) was officially conferred the Grandmaster title by FIDE, the World Chess Federation, in a Presidential Board meeting coincide the on-going 39th World Chess Olympiad at the Complex "Arena Ugra" of Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.

The Iligan City born Barcenilla which is now based in Arizona, Texas, USA,was conferred the title on the basis of his performance in the 2009 Copper State International Chess Championship held in Mesa, Arizona. The former San Sebastian College mainstay Barcenilla, a former Asian Junior Champion collected 7 points in 10 outings in the event that was won by Uzbek GM Timur Gareev which finished with 8 points. He beat whipped Georgian GM Zviad Izoria to gain his third and final GM result.

"Nagpapasalamat ako kay Cong Pichay (NCFP President/ Chairman Prospero "Butch" Pichay Jr.) dahil malaki ang naitulong niya sa Philippine Chess despite all the hardship and minsan mga gulong nangyayari sa federation he never backdown which is a good sign of a very good leader so keep up the good work Cong. Pichay. I'm looking forward on playing big tourneys sa Philippines again. I just need to schedule it ahead of time." said Barcenilla in an email yesterday.

Barcenilla, also a blackbelter in Taekwoondo would like to thank the late Florencio Campomanes, the late Atty. Art Borjal, Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Cruz, Casto Abundo and Willie Abalos of NCFP, Edgar de Castro, Cebuano sportsman Bombie Barcenilla Aznar and Boogie Lim, his wife Lilibeth Lee, his father and mother Rogelio Barcenilla Sr. and Wilhelmina Padla, his uncle George Barcenilla, his father and mother in-law Antonio Lee and Hedelisa Lee for being very supportive through out his career in chess.
　
Salvador, who hails fom San Jose Delmonte, Bulacan earned his third and final GM title during the 11th edition of the International Chess Tournament Fermo-Porto San Giorgio held from Aug. 21 to 29 at the Astoria Hotelin Fermo in Italy.
The Italy based Salvador, a former top player of Rizal Technological University (RTU) under the wings of its president Dr. Jose Q. Macaballug and head coach Olympian NM Mauro Yasay in the mid-90s, was declared winner on best tie break score and he doubled the celebration by fulfilling his third and final GM norm by virtue of the 7/9 FIDE rule.

Thus, Barcenilla and Salvador join the ranks of RP’s elite group of GMs which includes Eugene Torre, the late Rosendo Balinas, Jr., Rogelio "Joey" Antonio Jr., Buenaventura "Bong" Villamayor, Nelson Mariano II, Mark Paragua, Wesley So, Darwin Laylo, Jayson Gonzales, John Paul Gomez and Joseph Sanchez.

In other latest news, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov was re-elected as president of the World Chess Federation yesterday. He beat Anatoly Karpov, the former world champion, by a vote of 95 to 55. Each country in the federation, which is also known by the acronym FIDE (for Fédération Internationale des Échecs), had one vote. Mr. Ilyumzhinov’s new term runs to 2014; he has been president of FIDE since 1995.