HERE'S a good news for local chess community.
At least seven homeground talents made it to RP's top 100 chess players based on the international Fide Rankings as of July 2010.
Leading the elite cast is National Master Rustum Tolentino, a former MOGCHS standout from Brgy. Balulang, who totes a respectable 2364 ELO rating to occupy the 27th spot.
Balingasag native Virgilio Vuelban, who is now based in Italy, landed at 30th place with ELO 2358, while Cagayan de Oro's Christian Arroyo (2294) and Lyndon Lumancas (2274) made it to No. 44 and No.50, respectively.
A hard-working and studious advocate of the royal game, Lumancas has been considered as a role model for the chess-loving youth in the city. A feat he rightly deserves after proving himself during an international event in Manila where he scored a couple of upset wins over GM (Grandmaster) rivals.
"Obviously, Lyndonov (as Lumancas is fondly called by friends) is no genius. But through sheer hardwork and determination, he was able to prove that chess is also for an ordinary individuals with a big heart and will to succeed," noted out Silverio Abasolo, one of the city's top non masters.
Salay pride Richelieu Salcedo III, 19, and blitz event's gold taker of the 2010 Asean age-group in Subic, Olongapo City, improves at 67th mark with ELO 2222. While childhood buddies Antonio Chavez Jr., 19, and Lennon Hart Salgados, 16, completed the local hopefuls' entries in the top 100 list at No. 84 and No. 91.
Both Chavez (2153) and Salgados (2123) are now regular members of the UAAP Games perennial champions FEU (Far Eastern University) Tamaraws senior varsity team under head coach and Grandmaster Jayson Gonzales.
Well-entrenched at the country's top 10 rating earners were GM Wesley So (2674), GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. (2575), GM John Paul Gomez (2527), GM Darwin Laylo (2522), IM Roland Salvador(2498), GM Eugenio Torre (2489), GM-elect Joseph Sanchez (2479), GM Mark Paragua (2476), IM Julio Catalino Sadorra (2473) and IM Oliver Barbosa.