MANILA, Philippines---GRANDMASTER (GM) Rogelio "Banjo" Barcenilla Jr. trains his sights on higher goals and that is to grab a coveted title as he competes in the P100,000 free registration GM/Atty. Rosendo Carreon Balinas Jr. Online Chess Tournament (open division) on Sept. 26, 2021 to be virtually held at lichess.org. platform.
It will be a tough mission though for Barcenilla as he will go up against 13-time Philippine Open champion Grandmaster Rogelio "Joey" Antonio Jr., Woman Woman Grandmaster (WGM) Janelle Mae Frayna and International Physically Disabled Chess Association (IPCA) World Online Chess Rapid Championship Champion Fide Master (FM) Sander Severino.
Barcenilla—a two-time (1989 and 1990) Asian Juniors champion in Dubai and India and 1991 Bronze medalist in World Juniors championship in Romania, previously competed in GM Balinas where he placed second.
"It's been a while since I took part in a top level tournament and hopefully I would perform well," said the Chandler, Arizona-based Barcenilla whose roots are from Cebu and Iligan City.
"My target this time is to get the title. It's a difficult task because I'm up against country's top woodpushers but I will just give my best shot in the tournament."
Barcenilla won the 2019 Philippines National Chess Championship dubbed as Battle of the Grandmasters in an impressive fashion held at the Philippine Academy for Chess Excellence (PACE), 2nd floor, No. 56 Mindanao Avenue, Project 6 in Quezon City.
Due to the global pandemic caused by Covid-19, the World Chess Federation (FIDE) decided not to push through the actual or over the board chess competition but rather to continue the game of chess through an online chess competition.
Barcenilla is scheduled to spearhead the inaugural champion Laguna Heroes when the third conference of Professional Chess Association of the Philippines online tournament gets going on September 15, 2021.
Also playing in the event organized by Bayanihan Chess Club headed by it's founding co chairman Dr. Joe Balinas and Engr. Antonio "Uncle Paps" Balinas and backed up by GM Balinas Family are International Masters Ricardo de Guzman, Angelo Young, Chito Garma, Barlo Nadera, Emmanuel Senador and Fide Masters Robert Suelo Jr., Alekhine Nouri, Jony Habla, Randy Segarra, Austin Jacob Literatus and Arden Reyes.
Others are National Masters Henry Roger Lopez, Cesar Mariano, Merben Roque, Carlos Edgardo Garma, Jake dela Cruz, Nick Nisperos, Robert Arellano, Ronald Llavanes, Noel dela Cruz, Elwin Retanal, Romeo Alcodia, Ivan Travis Cu, Christian Gian Karlo Arca, Al-Basher Buto and Oshrie Jhames "OJ" Constantino Reyes .-Marlon Bernardino-
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