Seasoned chess campaigner Jhulo Goloran emerged champion in the Pozorrubio Invitational Chess Tournament held on Saturday in Pozorrubio, Pangasinan.
Goloran, who plays for the Manila Indios Bravos in the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP), pocketed the P7,000 purse and the trophy for topping the tournament which drew 75 participants from all over Luzon.
The one-day rapid chess tournament was jointly organized by the Sangguniang Bayan and the Sangguniang Kabataan as part of the town's grassroots chess development program.
Goloran scored 6.5 points, conceding only a draw with Romy Torres Fagon of Urdaneta City in the fourth round.
"I am very happy with my victory because almost all of the top players in Pangasinan as well nearby provinces and Metro Manila joined the tournament," said Goloran, an employee of Datamatics.
Sherwin Tiu of Manila finished second followed by Fagon, Abraham Bayron of Manila and Paul Tabago of Tarlac in this order.
Tiu, who finished with 6.0 points, received a cash purse of P5,000. Fagon, Bayron and Tabago received P3,000, P2,000 and P1,500, respectively.
"I am very excited to see our young children beginning their life with chess," said tournament director Engr. Ernesto Salcedo III, adding that the sport "provides people with logic."
"It provides people with a great order of process. It provides people the strategically meaningful processes of life," he added.
Salcedo is also the Vice Mayor of this first class municipality.
Gansib Apilada was hailed as the top player from Pozorrubioand Joash Fritz Aquino was awarded as the top kiddie player.
"Encouraging our children to play chess may be our solution to the findings that they lack critical thinking. Chess will expose them to an environment that facilitates creativity, strategic thinking and innovation," said Salcedo.
"We believe in the Filipino chess players. We know we can really excel on the international stage."
Meanwhile, National Master Almario Marlon Bernardino Jr. held a 10-game simultaneous exhibition before the start of the tournament.
Bernardino, a native of Binalonan in Pangasinan, won in seven games and drew three.