9th Search for the Next Chess Master 2025
Open SwissStandard
52 players participated in this 5-round tournament, held on 21 Jun 2025 in Quezon Park, Dumaguete City, Philippines. Top 10 Elo average was 1688, and top seed was Noel Bernil (🇵🇭 PHI, 1747).
Harry Balolong (🇵🇭 PHI, 0) won with 4.5/5, ahead of Lance Nathaniel Orlina (4.5) and Lee Arzhel Partosa (4.5). Balolong won on tie-break after catching the field in the final round.
The biggest upset came in round 5: John Paul Flores (1429) beat Redan Garlit (1719), a +290-point gap.
Location
🇵🇭Quezon Park, Dumaguete City, Philippines
Dates
21 Jun 2025
Time control
Standard: 30 minutes for game with 30 seconds increment from move 1
System
Swiss · 5 rounds
Federations · 1 represented
🇵🇭Philippines×45
Top 3
- 🥇
- 🥈
- 🥉
How it unfolded
Top 6 · 5 roundsTight race until R4; 3 players tied at 4.5/5, decided on Buchholz.
Co-leaders
25
13
4
1
3
R4–R5 · LEAD HELD
Lance Nathaniel Orlina held the sole lead from R4 through R5 without losing it.
R5 · TIEBREAK CLUSTER
3 players finish on 4.5/5. Balolong takes the title on Buchholz Cut1 (14.5).
WIN STREAKS · 2 top finishers
Lance Nathaniel Orlina 4 wins (R1–R4)Harry Balolong 3 wins (R1–R3)
Grille américaine
| # | Player | Elo | Fed | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | Pts | Bu C1 | Bu | SB | Perf | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Balolong, Harry | 0 | PHI | +30N | +6B | +19N | =4N | +12B | 4.5 | 14.5 | 16.5 | 14.50 | 1702 | 0.0 |
| 2 | Orlina, Lance Nathaniel | 1743 | PHI | +29B | +8N | +16B | +10N | =4B | 4.5 | 14.0 | 16.0 | 14.00 | 1940 | +37.6 |
| 3 | Partosa, Lee Arzhel | 1650 | PHI | +33B | +43N | =24B | +13N | +9B | 4.5 | 11.5 | 12.5 | 11.25 | 1844 | +30.0 |
| 4 | Bernil, Noel Jr | 1719 | PHI | +41N | +20B | +7N | =1B | =2N | 4.0 | 16.0 | 17.5 | 13.00 | 1874 | +21.6 |
| 5 | Mongcopa, Jason | 0 | PHI | −8B | +33N | +43B | +17B | +16N | 4.0 | 11.5 | 12.5 | 9.00 | 1552 | 0.0 |
| 6 | Balvestamin, David James | 1565 | PHI | +50B | −1N | +38B | +24N | +15B | 4.0 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 7.00 | 2295 | +16.0 |
| 7 | Bernil, Faith Jove | 1555 | PHI | +46N | +49B | −4B | +29N | +18B | 4.0 | 10.0 | 10.5 | 6.50 | 1739 | +29.6 |
| 8 | Ege, Neo Angelo | 1542 | PHI | +5N | −2B | +34N | +23B | =10B | 3.5 | 15.0 | 17.0 | 10.75 | 1498 | -4.4 |
| 9 | Moralidad, Jayden Lawrence | 1544 | PHI | +44B | +15N | =11B | +25N | −3N | 3.5 | 13.5 | 14.5 | 8.25 | 1689 | +22.8 |
| 10 | Rubio, Danilo | 1637 | PHI | +52N | +26B | +17N | −2B | =8N | 3.5 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 7.25 | 1649 | +2.4 |
| 11 | Gaitan, Jose Edmundo | 1670 | PHI | +37N | +21B | =9N | −12B | +26N | 3.5 | 12.5 | 14.5 | 9.25 | 1604 | -13.6 |
| 12 | Barinan, Casey Josh | 1585 | PHI | +28B | +35N | =25B | +11N | −1N | 3.5 | 12.5 | 14.5 | 8.75 | 1897 | +46.4 |
| 13 | Bernil, Zeus Mael | 1529 | PHI | =19N | +30B | +32N | −3B | +25B | 3.5 | 12.0 | 14.0 | 8.00 | 1897 | +76.4 |
| 14 | Samson, Lennox | 1557 | PHI | −15B | +44N | =28B | +39N | +24B | 3.5 | 9.0 | 10.0 | 6.00 | 2295 | +16.4 |
| 15 | Elopre, Van Sthylroy | 0 | PHI | +14N | −9B | +27N | +20B | −6N | 3.0 | 14.0 | 16.5 | 9.00 | 1562 | 0.0 |
| 16 | Bejagan, Joram Shemuel Alexis | 1560 | PHI | +48N | +36B | −2N | +22B | −5B | 3.0 | 13.5 | 14.5 | 6.00 | 1587 | +2.4 |
| 17 | Pinero, Joseph | 1483 | PHI | +40B | +18N | −10B | −5N | +31B | 3.0 | 12.5 | 14.0 | 6.50 | 1674 | +20.0 |
| 18 | Eleo, Bernstein | 1710 | PHI | +34N | −17B | +36N | +21B | −7N | 3.0 | 12.0 | 14.0 | 7.00 | 1375 | -52.4 |
| 19 | Sapuan, Arnel | 0 | PHI | =13B | +?N | −1B | =28N | +38B | 3.0 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 4.25 | 1572 | 0.0 |
| 20 | Gonzales, Yael | 1504 | PHI | +45B | −4N | +31B | −15N | +29B | 3.0 | 11.0 | 12.0 | 5.00 | 1566 | +6.0 |
| 21 | Inoveno, Cee Jay | 1462 | PHI | +31B | −11N | +45B | −18N | +28B | 3.0 | 10.5 | 11.5 | 5.00 | 890 | -16.8 |
| 22 | Flores, John Paul | 1429 | PHI | −25B | +51N | +47B | −16N | +32N | 3.0 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 3.00 | 1550 | +15.6 |
| 23 | Torres, Zhaick Lucas | 0 | PHI | −43B | +50N | +35B | −8N | +?B | 3.0 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 2.00 | 1509 | 0.0 |
| 24 | Amores, Amir | 1495 | PHI | +42N | +32B | =3N | −6B | −14N | 2.5 | 14.0 | 15.5 | 5.75 | 1536 | +7.2 |
| 25 | Bernil, Noel | 1747 | PHI | +22N | +27B | =12N | −9B | −13N | 2.5 | 13.5 | 16.0 | 7.25 | 1525 | -55.6 |
| 26 | Legaspi, Bryz Martin | 1446 | PHI | +47B | −10N | =39B | +43N | −11B | 2.5 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 2.75 | 1465 | +2.4 |
| 27 | Elopre, Angelic Payne | 1540 | PHI | +51B | −25N | −15B | =42N | +40B | 2.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 2.25 | 947 | -9.2 |
| 28 | Cabanag, Benedicto Jr | 0 | PHI | −12N | +42B | =14N | =19B | −21N | 2.0 | 13.0 | 14.5 | 4.75 | 1262 | 0.0 |
| 29 | Abada, Al Godwin | 1413 | PHI | −2N | +48B | +49N | −7B | −20N | 2.0 | 12.5 | 13.0 | 1.50 | 801 | -32.4 |
| 30 | Catayas, Jonathan | 1698 | PHI | −1B | −13N | F | +37B | +36N | 2.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 4.00 | 729 | -28.8 |
| 31 | Torres, Zhaira Sophia | 0 | PHI | −21N | +37B | −20N | +34B | −17N | 2.0 | 11.0 | 13.0 | 4.00 | 683 | 0.0 |
| 32 | Garlit, Redan | 1719 | PHI | +38B | −24N | −13B | +45N | −22B | 2.0 | 10.5 | 11.5 | 2.50 | 684 | -94.8 |
| 33 | Barinan, Cyron Jeth | 0 | PHI | −3N | −5B | −46N | +47N | +45B | 2.0 | 10.5 | 11.5 | 2.00 | 850 | 0.0 |
| 34 | Baisac, Nicholyde | 0 | PHI | −18B | +40N | −8B | −31N | +44B | 2.0 | 10.0 | 11.0 | 2.50 | 826 | 0.0 |
| 35 | Sayre, Jhonalyn | 1456 | PHI | +39N | −12B | −23N | −36B | +46N | 2.0 | 10.0 | 11.0 | 2.50 | 785 | -13.2 |
| 36 | Cadalso, Fritz Jan Lowell | 0 | PHI | +?B | −16N | −18B | +35N | −30B | 2.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 2.00 | 1528 | 0.0 |
| 37 | FIDE 521064814 | 0 | — | −11B | −31N | +51B | −30N | +47B | 2.0 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 1.00 | 884 | 0.0 |
| 38 | Baisac, Ezrah Portia | 0 | PHI | −32N | +46B | −6N | =49B | −19N | 1.5 | 10.0 | 10.5 | 1.25 | 842 | 0.0 |
| 39 | Ventolero, Ashley James | 0 | PHI | −35B | F | =26N | −14B | +41N | 1.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 2.75 | 1213 | 0.0 |
| 40 | Solique, Zoe Claire | 0 | PHI | −17N | −34B | +52N | =41B | −27N | 1.5 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 0.75 | 712 | 0.0 |
| 41 | Anqui, Declan Marco | 0 | PHI | −4B | −45N | +44B | =40N | −39B | 1.5 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 1.75 | 919 | 0.0 |
| 42 | Solique, Shanley Maira | 0 | PHI | −24B | −28N | F | =27B | +49N | 1.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 1.75 | 1325 | 0.0 |
| 43 | Elopre, Zhyner Dwyne | 1464 | PHI | +23N | −3B | −5N | −26B | F | 1.0 | 14.0 | 15.0 | 3.00 | 748 | -31.6 |
| 44 | FIDE 521010129 | 0 | — | −9N | −14B | −41N | +52B | −34N | 1.0 | 10.5 | 10.5 | 0.00 | 751 | 0.0 |
| 45 | FIDE 5296609 | 0 | — | −20N | +41B | −21N | −32B | −33N | 1.0 | 10.0 | 11.5 | 1.50 | 762 | 0.0 |
| 46 | FIDE 521014191 | 0 | — | −7B | −38N | +33B | −?N | −35B | 1.0 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 2.00 | 728 | 0.0 |
| 47 | FIDE 5291119 | 0 | — | −26N | +52B | −22N | −33B | −37N | 1.0 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 0.00 | 638 | 0.0 |
| 48 | FIDE 521030189 | 0 | — | −16B | −29N | −?B | +51N | F | 1.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 0.00 | 716 | 0.0 |
| 49 | Zerna, Shekienna Dawn | 0 | PHI | F | −7N | −29B | =38N | −42B | 0.5 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 0.75 | 684 | 0.0 |
| 50 | Delfino, Jeff Cyruz | 0 | PHI | −6N | −23B | F | F | F | 0.0 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 0.00 | 765 | 0.0 |
| 51 | Paeres, Ma-El | 0 | PHI | −27N | −22B | −37N | −48B | F | 0.0 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 0.00 | 685 | 0.0 |
| 52 | FIDE 521046441 | 0 | — | −10B | −47N | −40B | −44N | F | 0.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 0.00 | 837 | 0.0 |
Key insights
Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.
Top rating gainers
- 1Bernil, Zeus MaelPHI+76.43.5 pts · #4
- 2Barinan, Casey JoshPHI+46.43.5 pts · #11
- 3Orlina, Lance NathanielPHI+37.64.5 pts · #1
Top rating losers
- 1Garlit, RedanPHI-94.82.0 pts · #43
- 2Bernil, NoelPHI-55.62.5 pts · #8
- 3Eleo, BernsteinPHI-52.43.0 pts · #18
Biggest upsets
- R5+290 Elo gap
- R2+227 Elo gap
- R2+224 Elo gap