FILIPINO Fide Master (FM) elect Rustum Tolentino makes his next stop by seeking the International Master (IM) title in the 10th Penang Heritage City International Chess Open 2018 on December 3 to 8, 2018 at the Red Rock Hotel in Penang, Malaysia.
The Cagayan de Oro City native Tolentino is fresh from winning the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP)-rated Barroso Chess Cup 2018 Open rapid event last October 14, at the Bukidnon State University in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.
Tolentino split the point with Davao City ace Harrison Maamo in the seventh and final round en route to claiming the title and bring home the P7,000 top purse and a trophy in the tournament sponsored by the Barroso clan and supervised by NA Cecilio “Ely” Acas, FNA Joseph Gener “Jojo” Palero and NA Alfred Moulic of the Chess Arbiter Union of the Philippines.
Tolentino collected 6.5 points on the account of six wins and a draw in seven outings.
Drawing support from by Australia-based Simon Dolosa, Dubai-based Wael Alterado, Europe-based Woman International Master Cristine Rose Mariano-Wågman and National Master Roly Tan of Goldcrest Marketing Corporation, Tolentino will be seeing action also in the 5th Johor International Chess Open 2018 on December 10 to 15, 2018 at the 36th floor Johor Bahru City Square Tower in Johor Bahru, Malaysia and the Laos International Open Chess Championship on December 18 to 24, 2018 at the Don Chan Palace Hotel & Convention on Unit 6, Piavat Village, Sissatanak District in Vientiane, Laos.
“Hopefully, I can get my International Master title through these events as well as gain some Elo rating points,” said the 36-year-old Tolentino, former top player of Mapua Institute of Technology Chess Team, who won the 2002 Shell National Youth Active Chess Junior Grand Finals.
Tolentino’s previous stints abroad included Singapore (2005), Malaysia (2006 and 2009), Dubai, UAE (2007) and Sharjah, UAE (2012). (Marlon Bernardino)