DAVAO City's newest and youngest international master (IM) John Marvin Miciano, 17, still relishing his IM title after emerging open under-18 champion in the Asian Youth Chess Championship Monday evening at the Lotus Pang Suan Kaew Hotel in Chiang Mai, Thailand, will face another challenge in the Bangkok Open set April 13 to 21.
"Unexpected po na nag-champion ako kasi po first time ko pong sumali. (it is my first time to join.) Malalakas po players dito kasi, meron (They have strong players here) from India, Vietnam, China, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Iran, etc. at sila sumasali dahil sa (they joined because of the) outright IM title for the under-18 category," the Senior High School graduate from Far Eastern University said in a Facebook interview with SunStar Davao Tuesday, April 10.
The feat came on the heels of his most valuable player (MVP) award, board 1 gold medal and steering FEU to a three-peat championship victory last Sunday in the UAAP chess competition.
He attributed his success to coach grand master (GM) Jayson Gonzales who mentored him the past three years.
Miciano said, "He (Gonzales) is instrumental for my improvement as a player. Malaking tulong din po at nakapasok po ako sa PSC developmental pool ng Philippine Team ng PSC under chairman william Ramirez and NCFP president Prospero Pichay, Jr."
The Dabawenyo will show his wares in his second stint in the Bangkok Open and aims to improve his game.
"More of learning at improvement po ng level ng laro ko at sana po mag earn ng ratings," he said.
Miciano's coach has been eyeing him to become a GM by age 20.
He said it would entail more hardwork to be a GM, saying, "I still have to learn a lot, read more books, practice more, at sali ng sali ng tournaments."
But National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) regional director James Infiesto, in a separate Facebook interview, said Miciano is capable of becoming a GM.
"Definitely! He only needs 3 GM norms and a rating of 2400 to achieve d title. Their target is to be GM by 2020 with the guidance of his FEU Coach GM Jayson Gonzales, who is my batch mate and good friend in my National Juniors years," Infiesto said, adding that Mindanao has no GM yet.
The first Davao City IM was Marlo Micayabas from Toril who is currently based in the United States of America followed by IM Oliver Dimakiling of Sasa. "Both earned their IM titles way past their youth campaign age, 19 and above, thus, Miciano is the youngest Dabawenyo player to earn an IM title at age 17," Infiesto said.
Miciano has yet to decide which course he will take in College when FEU's classes start in August.
He took the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (Stem) Strand.