Philippines, 10 Dec 2024
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Yolanda survivor NM Engr. Mario Lawsin Rebano rules 2024 World Open U-2000 chess tilt; pockets USD 12,000


PhilBoxing.com


Manila---Mario Lawsin Rebano reigned supreme in the 2024 World Open U-2000 chess championships in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania July 7.

“I offer this victory to my fellow Filipinos, especially the people of Tacloban City (Leyte’s highly urbanized city) and all victims of calamities like me,” beamed the 57-year-old chess champion, in an interview of US based sports writer and columnist Alex Vidal who bested 226 players in the category for chessers rated 2000 and below.

This is the his biggest-ever achievement of Rebano since campaigning in the United States after surviving the 2013 superstorm “Yolanda” in Leyte in the Philippines.

The Filipino civil engineer, who left Brgy. Sagkahan 63 in Tacloban to live in New York, started hot in the 9-round Swiss System tournament that offered a top prize of $12,000 (Philippine Peso 705,000) by romping off with six points in the first six rounds.

Rebano (1967 US rating) played Caro-Kann Defense and was slowed down with a draw in Round 7 against Russia’s Stephan Kalinichev (1864 US rating) but hiked his output to 6.5 points entering the crucial last two rounds.

“I sensed Kalinichev was having a running nose and had a difficulty swapping bombs with my Caro-Kann repertoire, but I didn’t want to put him away because I thought I was safe with two rounds left in the tournament, thus I agreed for a draw,” Rebano recalled.

In the 8th round, Rebano was pitted against highly regarded fellow Filipino Jan Vincent Paragua (1960 US rating), head coach of the US representative on the FIDE World Cadets Chess Tournament, whom he blasted in Pirc Defense for another full point to vault on top with 7.5 points entering the 9th and last round.

Paragua, brother of Filipino Grand Master and Olympian Mark, incurred his lone defeat and settled for solo 6th place.
In the last round, Rebano, a national master (NM) in the Philippines, employed another Caro-Kann Defense Panov variation, but could not nail the win against the dangerous Russian Dimitry Gorelik (1897 US rating) and settled for draw.

“I trained hard and played with young chess players in Queens trained by Michael Ocedo (a Filipino chess trainer). Two weeks before the World Open, I stopped playing and just relaxed,” disclosed the undefeated Rebano, who walked away with 8 points to annex the U-2000 title in the tournament held from June 26 to July 7, 2024.

In a heartbreaking development, what could have been a double celebration for the 2024 World Open chess Philippine contingent turned into nightmare for Vincent Umayan (2170 US rating), a United States Chess Federation (USCF) master from Davao, lost his last match in the Under-2200 category to finish solo 5th place with 7 points.

Like Rebano, Umayan was undefeated entering the last round and needed only a draw to pocket the Under-2200 championship.

"It was a heartbreaking loss for Umayan because his opponent (Kamran Rawshani, 2176 US rating) was two pieces down but managed to promote his pawn into queen,” narrated Rebano, who described the match as “tension-filed and thrilling.”

Umayan scorched six opponents and drew two matches good for $750 cash before succumbing to Rawshani, who bankrolled the $12,000 top prize.-Marlon Bernardino-


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Marlon Bernardino.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Three Regional WBO Title Fights Set to Ignite Cebu at NUSTAR Resort & Casino
    By Dong Secuya, , Tue, 10 Dec 2024
  • Kieran Mulvaney and Dr. Margaret Goodman debut new podcast focused on fighter safety and clean sport
    , Tue, 10 Dec 2024
  • Omega Gym’s Kumbati 18! IBF #1 Christian Araneta Risks it All Against Thai Foe Yotboon Wednesday at IPI Compound in Mandaue, Cebu
    By Carlos Costa, , Tue, 10 Dec 2024
  • Uno Dragons bags Bangkok Youth title
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 10 Dec 2024
  • TODAY! CAPULOY VS TINAMPAY FOR THE WBF AUSTRALASIAN SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT IN MANDAUE CEBU
    By Carlos Costa, , Tue, 10 Dec 2024
  • UTP National Team Triumphs at 39th Penang International Juniors’ Tennis Championships
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 10 Dec 2024
  • SALITA PROMOTIONS FIGHT WEEK NEWS AND NOTES
    , Tue, 10 Dec 2024
  • Undefeated Middleweight Hendri Cedeno Returns December 13 in Orlando live on DAZN
    , Tue, 10 Dec 2024
  • “Scrappy Time” returns this Saturday World Super Flyweight Contender John “Scrappy” Ramirez seeking Redemption with added experience
    , Tue, 10 Dec 2024
  • WBC 62nd Annual Convention Opens in Hamburg
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 10 Dec 2024
  • PROBIOTICS CUP RMC shades DDN, 61-56
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 10 Dec 2024
  • Wise Owl Boxing Signs Mexican Olympian Briandra Tamara Cruz
    , Tue, 10 Dec 2024
  • Sanchai Yotboon of Thailand Arrives in Cebu Wanting Christian Araneta’s IBF #1 Ranking; The Two Will Battle in the Omega Show on Wednesday
    By Carlos Costa, , Mon, 09 Dec 2024
  • Feliciano edges Bustamante for 1st Mayor Stephen A. Palmares 9-Ball Invitational Billiard title; pockets P200,000
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 09 Dec 2024
  • Garde TKOs Inoue
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 09 Dec 2024
  • IIEE Golden Sports and PTC World Engineering 2025 Launched
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Mon, 09 Dec 2024
  • Body Shot Blowout: Emanuel Navarrete KOs Oscar Valdez
    , Sun, 08 Dec 2024
  • Today! Herlan Gomez Fights Vikas Bhardwaj for ABF 118 Belt in Exciting Highland Promotion in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 08 Dec 2024
  • OSCAR DE LA HOYA FOUNDATION DONATES THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF ESSENTIAL BOXING EQUIPMENT TO THE OSCAR DE LA HOYA ÁNIMO CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL
    , Sun, 08 Dec 2024
  • Inaugural season of Sharks Billiards Association (SBA) Finals schedule: Taguig Stallions versus the Manila MSW Mavericks with the Chino Trinidad trophy on the line!
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 08 Dec 2024
  • Libyan Boxing Promoter Nageb Il-khashme Returns, as ‘Night of Legends 2’ will be held Sunday, December 8 in Benghazi, Featuring Aadam Hamed and Three Regional Championship Bouts
    , Sun, 08 Dec 2024
  • SPORTS SHORTS 289: WELJON MINDORO STOPS JOEL CAMILLERI, WINS IBA ASIAN MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Sat, 07 Dec 2024
  • Weights from Chester, PA
    , Sat, 07 Dec 2024
  • Boxing official Gerald Bassig is dead at 40
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 07 Dec 2024
  • Preview and Picks for Navarrete vs. Valdez 2 & Espinoza vs. Ramirez 2 on ESPN
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 07 Dec 2024




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2024 philboxing.com.