Tarlac City — National Master Almario Marlon Quiroz Bernardino Jr. reigned supreme in the Our Lady of Ransom open rapid chess tournament held in Barangay Matatalaib, Tarlac City on Sunday, September 22, 2024.
Bernardino, the pride of Quezon City and Mandaluyong City, bagged the P2,000 top prize in the seven-round tournament organized by Henry and Regina Calacday and supported by Kap. Henry Oliveros, Sitio chairman Eric Bondoc and home owners association president Christopher Bautista.

Bernardino, who is also a US chess master, finished with 5.5 points on account of four wins and three draws.
'I am very happy with my latest victory here in Tarlac City,' said the 47-year-old Bernardino, who topped the Laos international Open Chess Championship held on September 1-6 in Vientiane, Laos and the 5th edition of Single Knockout Armageddon Tournament (SiKAT) held at the Pavilion Mall, Greenfield District , Mandaluyong City on September 13, 2024.
'I also would like to thank 1996 Philippine Junior chess champion Fide Master Robert Suelo Jr. and ALC Group of Companies chairman and CEO D. Edgard Cabangon for supporting my chess campaign here and abroad.'
National Master Romeo Alcodia of San Manuel, Tarlac and Raymart Manicdo of Gerona, Tarlac bagged first and second runner-up honors after scoring 5.0 points apiece.
Eric Calacday of San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija and Zyluj Ezekiel Gacutan of Victoria, Tarlac scored 4.5 points each to end up at fourth and fifth spots, respectively.