2025 Philippine National Semifinals Chess Championship Men's Division

SwissStandard

50 players participated in this 7-round tournament, held from 12 Nov 2025 to 16 Nov 2025 in Cebu City, Philippines. 6 titled players. Top 10 Elo average was 2210, and top seed was Christian Gian Karlo Arca (🇵🇭 PHI, IM, 2407).

Mark Jay Bacojo (🇵🇭 PHI, IM, 2298) won with 6.0/7, ahead of Ronald Bancod (5.5) and Michael Jr. Concio (5.5). Bacojo shared the lead from round 6 and broke clear in the final round.

The biggest upset came in round 5: Lex Padayao (1680) beat Rosendo Jr Bandal (FM, 2137), a +457-point gap.

Location

🇵🇭Cebu City, Philippines

Dates

12 Nov 2025 → 16 Nov 2025

Time control

Standard: 90 minutes with 30 second increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 7 rounds

Top seed

🇵🇭IMChristian Gian Karlo Arca2407

Avg top 10

2,210

Participants

Titled players · 6

IM×5

FM×1

Federations · 1 represented

🇵🇭Philippines×50

Top 3

🥇
IMMark Jay Bacojo
🇵🇭PHI·2298
6.0pts·2316perf+3.0
🥈
IMRonald Bancod
🇵🇭PHI·2112
5.5pts·2346perf+20.3
🥉
IMMichael Jr. Concio
🇵🇭PHI·2397
5.5pts·2322perf-3.3

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 7 rounds

IM Mark Jay Bacojo led from R7; +0.5-point edge over the runner-up. Title race converged from 2 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R7.

Co-leaders

Bacojo6Concio5.5Arca5.5Bancod5.5Casiguran5.5Merelos5

R7 · LEADER CHANGE16 Nov

IM Mark Jay Bacojo takes the sole lead (6.0/7).

WIN STREAKS · 2 top finishers

IM Mark Jay Bacojo 3+3 wins (R1–R3, R5–R7)IM Michael Jr. Concio 3 wins (R1–R3)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1IMMark Jay Bacojo	*	—	—	0
2IMMichael Jr. Concio	—	*	½	½
3IMChristian Gian Karlo Arca	—	½	*	0
4IMRonald Bancod	1	½	1	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Bacojo, Mark JayIM	2298	PHI	+26B	+16N	+13B	−2N	+8B	+12N	+6B	6.0	27.5	30.5	25.00	2316	+3.0
2	Bancod, RonaldIM	2112	PHI	+50N	+15B	+4N	+1B	−6N	+7B	=3B	5.5	31.0	31.0	23.25	2346	+20.3
3	Concio, Michael Jr.IM	2397	PHI	+31N	+12B	+11N	=7B	=4N	+6B	=2N	5.5	29.5	32.5	24.50	2322	-3.3
4	Arca, Christian Gian KarloIM	2407	PHI	+23B	+35N	−2B	+16N	=3B	+13N	+10B	5.5	27.0	29.5	21.25	2330	-3.5
5	Casiguran, Phil Martin	2132	PHI	=38N	=17B	+29N	+15B	=7N	+18B	+14N	5.5	24.0	26.0	20.50	2195	+18.8
6	Merelos, Melvin	2132	PHI	+32B	+22N	+8B	+19N	+2B	−3N	−1N	5.0	29.5	32.5	21.00	2228	+38.0
7	Cervero, Tristan Jared	1900	PHI	+39B	+37N	+10B	=3N	=5B	−2N	+12B	5.0	27.0	29.0	18.00	2217	+57.0
8	Mirano, Allen	1958	PHI	+34B	+14N	−6N	+37B	−1N	+26B	+21B	5.0	25.0	27.0	16.00	2183	+82.8
9	Panilagao, Rogel Nino	1934	PHI	=43N	+38B	=17N	+27B	−12N	+32B	+19N	5.0	20.0	21.5	14.75	2100	+52.0
10	Young, AngeloIM	2161	PHI	=20B	+24N	−7N	+36B	+22N	+11B	−4N	4.5	26.0	28.5	16.00	2050	-7.0
11	Carredo, Mar Aviel	2001	PHI	+40B	+45N	−3B	=23N	+35B	−10N	+22N	4.5	21.5	22.5	10.75	2047	+21.2
12	Ganzon, Ronald	1976	PHI	+30B	−3N	+45B	+28N	+9B	−1B	−7N	4.0	27.5	28.5	12.00	1987	+5.2
13	Mangubat, Mario	2003	PHI	+46N	+36B	−1N	=26B	+17N	−4B	=18N	4.0	25.0	26.0	11.00	1978	-5.0
14	Abanco, Ernie	2165	PHI	+25N	−8B	−26N	+38B	+31N	+15B	−5B	4.0	24.0	26.0	12.50	1954	-66.0
15	Saludsod, Carlo	1865	PHI	+41B	−2N	+30B	−5N	+28B	−14N	+29B	4.0	24.0	26.0	11.00	1954	+24.8
16	Pandan, Basilio	1973	PHI	+42N	−1B	+40N	−4B	=25N	+36B	=17N	4.0	23.5	25.5	10.25	1978	+2.0
17	Dela Cruz, Jake	0	PHI	+49B	=5N	=9B	=35N	−13B	+37N	=16B	4.0	23.0	23.5	11.00	2032	0.0
18	Agapay, Apollo P.	1933	PHI	=48B	−28N	+33B	+24N	+23B	−5N	=13B	4.0	22.5	23.0	12.25	1881	-16.0
19	Jao, Manasseh	2007	PHI	=28B	+48N	+43B	−6B	=26N	+20N	−9B	4.0	21.5	22.0	9.00	1890	-35.6
20	Maniego, Zhyrich	1840	PHI	=10N	−27B	=38N	+45B	+37N	−19B	+33N	4.0	18.5	19.5	9.25	1975	+38.4
21	Paraguya, Voltaire Marc	1898	PHI	−45N	−46B	+44N	+41B	+29N	+30B	−8N	4.0	15.5	16.5	9.50	1744	-23.0
22	Cadiz, Arnolito	1895	PHI	+33B	−6B	=36N	+43N	−10B	+23N	−11B	3.5	23.0	24.5	9.25	1851	-16.0
23	Carzano, Johnny Wellem	1856	PHI	−4N	+44B	+41N	=11B	−18N	−22B	+36N	3.5	22.0	23.5	8.25	1843	-4.8
24	Flores, Reynaldo	1833	PHI	=27N	−10B	+48N	−18B	−32N	+42B	+38N	3.5	18.5	19.0	6.00	1890	+8.6
25	DALEON, Lightus	1841	PHI	−14B	F	+39N	F	=16B	+35N	+27B	3.5	16.5	16.5	9.50	2119	+71.6
26	Tabor, Erwin D.	1848	PHI	−1N	+42B	+14B	=13N	=19B	−8N	F	3.0	26.0	28.0	10.00	2010	+45.6
27	Bandal, Rosendo JrFM	2137	PHI	=24B	+20N	=28B	−9N	−30B	+44N	−25N	3.0	22.0	23.5	8.75	1767	-60.8
28	Alidani, Leonardo	1798	PHI	=19N	+18B	=27N	−12B	−15N	−34B	+45B	3.0	22.0	23.0	8.50	1828	+3.6
29	Lofranco, Leo	1836	PHI	−37B	+34N	−5B	+33N	−21B	+45N	−15N	3.0	21.5	22.5	7.00	1755	-28.0
30	Padayao, Lex	1680	PHI	−12N	+31B	−15N	+42B	+27N	−21N	F	3.0	21.0	23.0	8.00	1892	+60.8
31	Talaboc, Francis	1856	PHI	−3B	−30N	+34B	+40N	−14B	+39N	F	3.0	20.5	22.5	7.00	1843	-4.6
32	Ortiz, Bhell	1826	PHI	−6N	+39B	−37B	+47N	+24B	−9N	F	3.0	20.5	21.5	6.50	1924	+14.2
33	Agsalud, Shawn	0	PHI	−22N	+50B	−18N	−29B	+40B	+43N	−20B	3.0	18.0	18.0	3.50	1763	0.0
34	Mernado, Reiven Joseph	1676	PHI	−8N	−29B	−31N	F	+47B	+28N	+35B	3.0	17.5	18.0	6.50	1894	+65.2
35	Fuentes, Mardonio	2000	PHI	+44N	−4B	+46N	=17B	−11N	−25B	−34N	2.5	22.0	23.0	4.50	1768	-36.6
36	Donoga, Kenneth Cris	1632	PHI	+47B	−13N	=22B	−10N	+43B	−16N	−23B	2.5	21.0	22.0	4.25	1803	+47.6
37	Medina, VInce Angelo	2159	PHI	+29N	−7B	+32N	−8N	−20B	−17B	F	2.0	24.0	26.0	6.00	1800	-44.0
38	Turno, Archilaus	1831	PHI	=5B	−9N	=20B	−14N	−39B	+50N	−24B	2.0	24.0	24.0	4.75	1741	-38.0
39	Tutor, Mark Lorenz	1576	PHI	−7N	−32N	−25B	+50B	+38N	−31B	F	2.0	18.5	18.5	2.00	1720	+38.0
40	Rusiana, Ian Gabriel	1705	PHI	−11N	+49N	−16B	−31B	−33N	+48B	−41N	2.0	17.0	17.5	1.00	1804	+22.0
41	Jayan, Ruel	0	PHI	−15N	F	−23B	−21N	−44B	+47N	+40B	2.0	16.0	16.0	3.00	1695	0.0
42	Icalina, Navi	1679	PHI	−16B	−26N	=49B	−30N	+48B	−24N	=44B	2.0	15.5	16.0	1.50	1637	-18.8
43	Alasagas, Seigfred Mark	1665	PHI	=9B	+47N	−19N	−22B	−36N	−33B	F	1.5	19.0	19.0	3.50	1727	+10.4
44	Barredo, Wilson	1682	PHI	−35B	−23N	−21B	F	+41N	−27B	=42N	1.5	17.0	17.0	3.00	1537	-28.4
45	Tee, Lorenz Julien	1553	PHI	+21B	−11B	−12N	−20N	F	−29B	−28N	1.0	22.5	23.5	4.00	1607	+8.4
46	Patalinghug, Rommel	1755	PHI	−13B	+21N	−35B	F	F	F	F	1.0	15.0	15.0	4.00	1842	+12.0
47	Alasagas, Karl Christian	1913	PHI	−36N	−43B	+50N	−32B	−34N	−41B	F	1.0	12.5	12.5	0.00	1483	-108.0
48	Principe, John Loid	1665	PHI	=18N	−19B	−24B	F	−42N	−40N	F	0.5	18.5	19.5	2.00	1465	-39.6
49	Gastala, Michael	1883	PHI	−17N	−40B	=42N	F	F	F	F	0.5	8.0	8.0	1.00	1499	-39.6
50	Arapoc, Paul Benedict	1818	PHI	−2B	−33N	−47B	−39N	F	−38B	F	0.0	15.0	15.0	0.00	1058	-72.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Mirano, AllenPHI
+82.8
5.0 pts · #8
2DALEON, LightusPHI
+71.6
3.5 pts · #17
3Mernado, Reiven JosephPHI
+65.2
3.0 pts · #31

Top rating losers

1Alasagas, Karl ChristianPHI
-108.0
1.0 pts · #44
2Arapoc, Paul BenedictPHI
-72.0
0.0 pts · #50
3Abanco, ErniePHI
-66.0
4.0 pts · #13

Biggest upsets

R5+457 Elo gap
Padayao, Lex1680 beat FMBandal, Rosendo Jr2137
R1+345 Elo gap
Tee, Lorenz Julien1553 beat Paraguya, Voltaire Marc1898
R7+324 Elo gap
Mernado, Reiven Joseph1676 beat Fuentes, Mardonio2000