Daniel Quizon, a 20-year-old chess prodigy, became the newest Filipino Grandmaster after defeating Igor Efimov at the 45th Chess Olympiad on Sunday.
By surpassing the 2500 rating, Quizon marks the Philippines’ first GM in 13 years, revitalizing the nation’s chess scene.
The last time the country welcomed a Filipino GM was in 2011, when Oliver Barbosa and Richard Bitoon each earned their GM status. In 2017, Janelle Mae Frayna became the Philippines’ first ever woman GM.
Six years ago, Quizon earned International Master (IM) status by topping the 2018 Eastern Asian Juniors Open Championships in Gangneung, South Korea.
Prior to becoming grandmaster, a chess player needs to complete the three required GM norms.
Quizon earned his first GM norm in February 2023 during the AQ Prime ASEAN Chess Championship. This was followed by his second norm in December of the same year by winning the Open division title at the Eastern Asia Juniors and Girls Chess Championship.
He nabbed his third norm during the last leg of the 2024 Hanoi Grandmaster Chess Tournament in Vietnam.
Quizon then broke the 2500 ELO rating in the Chess Olympiad to formalize his GM status.
The post 20-year-old Caviteño becomes PH’s newest chess grandmaster first appeared on Fastbreak.
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