Moving up

GRANDMASTERS Wesley So, Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. and Roland Salvador are the biggest gainers in the latest Philippine-World Chess Federation (RP-FIDE) rankings, which will be officially released today.

So, the Bacoor-based whiz kid collected 4 more points to tally 2673 Elo rating points from his previous 2669 total.

So’s rating was boosted by the 4 points he garnered in the 2010 Spice Cup Fall Double Round Robin in Lubbock, Texas last October.

“I would like to break the 2700 Elo barrier and step into the 2800,” said So in an interview at the opening of the Young Knights Chess League in Ortigas. His highest rating was 2674 in July 2010.

Antonio, of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro and a 12-time national open champion, climbed to 2589 from his previous 2573 rating to come closer to his quest of barging the elite circle of Super GMs or those with Elo ratings of 2600 and up.

Salvador, the former Rizal Technological University (RTU) standout, moved to solo third place among PH chessers with a new Elo rating of 2533 from 2527, thanks mainly to his magnificent performance last November where he won a tough tournament in Italy.

“My aim is to increase my Elo rating to 2550 next year,” said Salvador, who decided to return to Manila after a six-year campaign in Europe. “I would like to thank Chairman (Prospero) Pichay for his undying support to Philippine chess,” he added.

Salvador paid a courtesy call to Pichay last Tuesday at the LWUA office where the latter gave him a laptop computer plus pocket money, hotel accommodation and round trip tickets for Vietnam for a top chess meet there next month.

Other Pinoy chessers with top rankings include GM Darwwin Laylo (2527 minus 11.5), GM John Paul Gomez (2522 plus 5), GM Joseph Sanchez (2517 minus 1.5), GM Mark Paragua (2509 plus 11.7), GM Eugene Torre (2484 plus 10.7), IM Julio Catalino Sadorra (2473 plus 10.4), IM Richard Bitoon (2461) and IM Oliver Barbosa (2451 plus 10).

Because the Elo rating points is set to change on January 1, 2011, the the final rankings will be No.4 is Gomez (2527), No.5 is Paragua (2521), No.6 and 7 are Laylo and Sanchez (2515), No.8 Torre (2495), No.9 Sadorra (2483), No.10 and 11 are Bitoon and Barbosa (2461).

Correspondent MARLON BERNARDINO