by Marlon Bernardino

INTERNATIONAL MASTER (IM) Angelo Young, newly-installed International Master (IM) elect Daniel Quizon, newly-installed Woman International Master (WIM) elect Kylen Joy Mordido and Fide Master (FM) elect Michael Concio Jr. of the Philippines are headed for Malaysia in their bids for Grandmaster norm in the 15th IGB Dato Arthur Tan Malaysian Open Chess Championships dubbed as 15th Malaysian Chess Festival on August 20 to 26, 2018 at the Ballroom, 5th floor, Citi Tel Mid Valley Hotel, Mid Valley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The eight-times Illinois, USA champion Young, who is two norm away from becoming a full chess GM is one of the country's top chess teacher and online chess instructor.

He has been searching for his second GM norm since bagging his first GM norm during the 1996 World Open Chess Championships in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Young is also won the Under 2300 section of the 2017 World Open Chess Championships.

Quizon, on the other hand, is fresh from winning the Eastern Asia Juniors Open Chess Championship 2018 held at the Gangneung University in South Korea from August 2 to 8, 2018.

Mordido, meantime, won the girls division of the Eastern Asia Juniors Open Chess Championship 2018.

The 13-years-old Quizon won the gold medal, an outright International Master (IM) title plus his first Grandmaster (GM) norm in the process.

Mordido, 16, went home the gold medal, an outright Woman International Master (WIM) title plus her first Woman Grandmaster (WGM) norm.

Concio Jr., 13, is seeking his first GM norm here in Malaysia after winning the Fide Master title and Asean Chess Master during the 2017 ASEAN Age Group Chess Championships in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia.
Quizon, Mordido and Concio Jr., are member of the star-studded Dasmarinas, Cavite, Philippines chess team under the watchful eye of National Coach International Master (IM) elect Roel Abelgas and backed up by Dasmarinas mayor Elpidio "Pidi" Barzaga Jr., congresswoman Jenny Barzaga and the city .

With their latest feat, both Quizon and Mordido got a total of P150,000 cash incentive each while coach Abelgas received P75,000 from Dasmarinas mayor Elpidio "Pidi" Barzaga Jr., congresswoman Jenny Barzaga and the city government of Dasmarinas, Cavite.

(Marlon Bernardino)