by Marlon Bernardino
FILIPINO Jelvis Arandela Calvelo is vying for the 10th Annual Chesapeake Open Chess Championships on January 12 to 15, 2018 at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in Rockville, Maryland.

The 38 years-old Toronto, Canada based Calvelo, who work as Aircraft Winder and technician at the Canada International Aviation Inc. will be pitted against some of the best woodpushers in the United States as well in Canada.
Filipino Grandmasters (GMs) Julio Catalino Sadorra and Mark Paragua finished in a two-way tie for first place with six wins after seven games of play in the last year's edition.

" I will do my very best in the 10th Annual Chesapeake Open Chess Championships in Rockville, Maryland," said the Dasmarinas, Cavite native Calvelo.
Calvelo, a former chess coach at the DLSU, PCU and Emilio Aguinaldo College, Dasmarinas branch in Cavite is also schedule to compete in the 2018 Cleveland, Ohio Open Chess Championships on January 26-27.It shall be recalled that Calvelo settled for 3rd overall in the 2017 Canadian Open Chess Championship (Under 2200 section) at the Sault College in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada.

Calvelo tallied 7.0 points on six wins, 2 draws and a loss in 9 outings. The said event was held last July 6 to 16, 2017. 

Calvelo reinforced his position as one of the Philippines’ top non-master players when he ruled the Air Tawar Rapid Chess Championship dubbed as Melaka Chess Open in January 25, 2014 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He also finished a tie for first in the Karnival Catur Sepang 2013, Sepang Rapid Chess Open and KL Open chess in 2014 in Malaysia.-Marlon Bernardino-