by Marlon Bernardino

Manila---DANDEL FERNANDEZ, one of the board of directors of the famous Novaliches Chess Club under it's top honcho Sonsea Agonoy had something to cheer and happy at the start of this month of April after his coveted Arena Grandmaster (AGM) title finally earned.

This after Fernandez broke the 2000 barrier at the Fide (World Chess Federation) Arena online rated games.

Thus, Fernandez, a member of the muti-titled Maynilad chess team join the elite-AGM group of Cristine Mariano-Wågman, Robert Suelo Jr., Wilfredo Neri, Henry Roger Lopez, Joseph Galindo, Christopher Diaz, Almario Marlon Bernardino Jr., Srihaan Podar and Io Aristotle Nikolai  Calica, among others.

"Playing Chess Online is the excellent way to stay home. Maybe one day World of sports announce that chess is the the most popular game/sports in the world " said Fernandez, top player of Technological University of the Philippines chess team during his College days, and member of the National Capital Region chess team who competed in the 1994 SCUAA National Games in Isabela.

Fernandez, the 2019 Philippine Executive Chess Association (PECA) Grand Prix Overall topnotcher is heading the way to an actual game for his FIDE Master (FM) title after the Covit-19 global pandemic crisis clear.

Early this year in his United Arab Emirates chess circuit campaign, Fernandez finished tied for champion in the UAE Sharjah Fischer Random chess, 2nd place in the Abu Dhabi Classic Open, 2nd Place in the Al Furjan Home of Chess Rapid, 3rd Place in the Al Furjan Home of Chess Classic Open and 7th place in the UAE Fujairah- 2020 World Chess Puzzle Solver Competition.-Marlon Bernardino-