12th Search for the Next Chess Master 2025 Grand Finals

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70 players participated in this 7-round tournament, held from 20 Dec 2025 to 21 Dec 2025 in Dumaguete City, Philippines. 2 federations represented. Top 10 Elo average was 1680, and top seed was Markley Partosa (🇵🇭 PHI, 1797).

Christian Pelione (🇵🇭 PHI, 1715) won with 6.5/7, ahead of Marl Edwynne Ahito (5.5) and Lee Arzhel Partosa (5.5). Pelione won solo starting round 5.

The biggest upset came in round 5: Faith Jove Bernil (1583) beat Markley Partosa (1797), a +214-point gap.

Location

🇵🇭Dumaguete City, Philippines

Dates

20 Dec 2025 → 21 Dec 2025

Time control

Standard: 30 minutes for game with 30 seconds increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 7 rounds

Top seed

🇵🇭Markley Partosa1797

Avg top 10

1,680

Participants

Federations · 2 represented

🇵🇭Philippines×56

FIDE (no federation)×1

Top 3

🥇
Christian Pelione
🇵🇭PHI·1715
6.5pts·2033perf+73.6
🥈
Marl Edwynne Ahito
🇵🇭PHI·1689
5.5pts·1762perf+22.0
🥉
Lee Arzhel Partosa
🇵🇭PHI·1687
5.5pts·1761perf+19.6

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 7 rounds

Christian Pelione led from R5; +1.0-point edge over the runner-up. Title race converged from 3 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R5.

Co-leaders

Pelione6.5Ahito5.5Partosa5.5Bernil5.5Olarte5Deposoy5

R5–R7 · LEAD HELD

Christian Pelione never relinquished the lead after R5; final gap +1.0 over the runner-up.

R7 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

Christian Pelione drew with Marl Edwynne Ahito (Black).

WIN STREAKS · 3 top finishers

Christian Pelione 6 wins (R1–R6)Marl Edwynne Ahito 3 wins (R4–R6)Lee Arzhel Partosa 4 wins (R1–R4)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1Christian Pelione	*	½	—	—
2Marl Edwynne Ahito	½	*	—	—
3Lee Arzhel Partosa	—	—	*	—
4Zeus Mael Bernil	—	—	—	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Pelione, Christian	1715	PHI	+39N	+46B	+15N	+12B	+13N	+5B	=2N	6.5	27.0	30.0	27.25	2033	+73.6
2	Ahito, Marl Edwynne	1689	PHI	+24B	+42N	−32B	+23N	+22B	+19N	=1B	5.5	26.5	29.5	22.75	1762	+22.0
3	Partosa, Lee Arzhel	1687	PHI	+61N	+20B	+47N	+14B	−5N	=13B	+6B	5.5	26.5	28.5	21.25	1761	+19.6
4	Bernil, Zeus Mael	1586	PHI	+51B	+50N	−5N	+8B	+39N	=12B	+14N	5.5	25.0	28.0	20.75	1508	-7.6
5	Dandoy, Arhyz	1747	PHI	+56B	+25N	+4B	=32N	+3B	−1N	=11B	5.0	30.0	33.0	22.25	1736	-2.4
6	Deposoy, Kurt Daniel	1647	PHI	−14N	+30B	+61N	+9B	+43N	+15B	−3N	5.0	26.5	28.5	18.50	1772	+30.0
7	Amores, Amir	1470	PHI	+58B	=17N	+36B	−19N	+21B	=16N	+28N	5.0	25.5	28.0	19.00	1732	+81.6
8	Olarte, Zteven	0	PHI	+?B	=22N	=21B	−4N	+40B	+47N	+23B	5.0	24.0	24.0	14.25	1618	0.0
9	Pinero, Joseph	1493	PHI	+26B	−40N	+31B	−6N	+51B	+45N	+22B	5.0	23.0	26.0	18.00	1489	0.0
10	Pineda, Jade Martin	1498	PHI	+59N	−12B	+60N	=18B	+35N	+32B	=15N	5.0	23.0	25.0	16.00	1616	+25.6
11	Moreno, Prince Allen	1549	PHI	+64B	+68N	−17B	+50N	=12N	+18B	=5N	5.0	22.5	22.5	13.25	1662	+24.0
12	Catipay, Brett Pert	1655	PHI	+53B	+10N	+33B	−1N	=11B	=4N	=20B	4.5	30.0	33.0	19.00	1605	-14.0
13	Batadlan, Michaell Jay	1609	PHI	+52B	+38N	+16B	+17N	−1B	=3N	−19B	4.5	29.0	32.0	18.25	1685	+25.6
14	Verdida, Jaiannah Marie	0	PHI	+6B	+29N	+40B	−3N	=25B	+17N	−4B	4.5	28.5	31.5	18.50	1634	0.0
15	Bernil, Faith Jove	1583	PHI	+31B	+45N	−1B	+33N	+16B	−6N	=10B	4.5	28.5	31.5	17.50	1618	+8.8
16	Partosa, Markley	1797	PHI	+27N	+23B	−13N	+20B	−15N	=7B	+32N	4.5	26.5	30.0	18.50	1605	-52.8
17	Barinan, Casey Josh	1605	PHI	+48N	=7B	+11N	−13B	+44N	−14B	+27N	4.5	26.0	29.0	17.50	1543	-10.0
18	Sapuan, Arleah Cassandra	1639	PHI	+49B	=19N	=22B	=10N	+24B	−11N	+33B	4.5	26.0	29.0	17.25	1511	-34.0
19	Flores, John Paul	1490	PHI	F	=18B	+41N	+7B	+32N	−2B	+13N	4.5	26.0	26.0	18.25	1768	+86.8
20	Torres, Zhaick Lucas	1503	PHI	+66B	−3N	+51B	−16N	+31B	+26N	=12N	4.5	25.5	26.5	14.25	1440	-8.4
21	Paril, Shawn Augustine	1595	PHI	+44B	−33N	=8N	+41B	−7N	+34B	+37N	4.5	23.5	26.5	15.50	1329	-42.8
22	Balvestamin, David James	1580	PHI	+60N	=8B	=18N	+27B	−2N	+43B	−9N	4.0	27.0	29.0	13.75	1471	-24.8
23	Bejagan, Joram Shemuel Alexis	1538	PHI	+62B	−16N	+52B	−2B	+49N	+39B	−8N	4.0	24.0	26.0	11.00	943	-19.2
24	Tuballa, Junie Benedict	0	PHI	−2N	+54B	=28N	+46B	−18N	+42B	=36N	4.0	23.5	26.5	12.75	1583	0.0
25	Pineda, Jhune Kenneth	1545	PHI	+57N	−5B	=34N	+48B	=14N	−27B	+49N	4.0	23.0	25.5	12.50	947	-9.6
26	Arnaiz, Denmark	0	PHI	−9N	−34B	+65N	+52N	+38B	−20B	+43N	4.0	22.5	23.5	10.50	1470	0.0
27	Ng, Cedrick Jayden	0	PHI	−16B	+62N	+68B	−22N	+36B	+25N	−17B	4.0	22.5	22.5	9.50	1551	0.0
28	Moralidad, Jayden Lawrence	1566	PHI	−45B	+64N	=24B	=34N	+53B	+50N	−7B	4.0	21.5	22.5	10.75	670	-25.2
29	FIDE 521080178	0	—	=30N	−14B	=37N	=60B	+48N	=41B	+39N	4.0	21.0	23.0	12.25	1472	0.0
30	Galoy, Justin	1488	PHI	=29B	−6N	+58B	−44N	+60B	=35N	+52B	4.0	21.0	23.0	11.25	847	-11.6
31	Casinto, Zyd Kynne	0	PHI	−15N	+?B	−9N	+?B	−20N	+61B	+41N	4.0	19.0	19.0	5.00	1316	0.0
32	Adalia, John Welbert	1585	PHI	+35N	+43B	+2N	=5B	−19B	−10N	−16B	3.5	28.0	31.0	14.50	1548	-14.4
33	Partosa, Markjhel	1436	PHI	+69N	+21B	−12N	−15B	=37N	+44B	−18N	3.5	24.5	24.5	9.25	1425	-2.0
34	Torres, Zhaira Sophia	0	PHI	−40B	+26N	=25B	=28B	=42N	−21N	+58B	3.5	22.5	25.0	12.00	1416	0.0
35	Lindo, Nino Quianneberld	0	PHI	−32B	+63N	+42B	=36N	−10B	=30B	=38N	3.5	22.5	24.5	10.50	1466	0.0
36	Cuda, Aike	1587	PHI	+65N	=41B	−7N	=35B	−27N	+51B	=24B	3.5	22.5	23.5	9.25	1270	-33.6
37	Chirivias, Kris	0	FID	−42B	+49N	=29B	=38N	=33B	+40N	−21B	3.5	21.5	24.5	11.50	1453	0.0
38	Deposoy, Alyssa Gale	1475	PHI	+70N	−13B	=57N	=37B	−26N	+54B	=35B	3.5	21.0	21.0	7.75	809	-12.8
39	Verdida, Gabriel Castiel	0	PHI	−1B	+67N	+55B	+47N	−4B	−23N	−29B	3.0	26.0	27.0	7.00	1405	0.0
40	Ubag, John Gabriel	1615	PHI	+34N	+9B	−14N	−43B	−8N	−37B	+64N	3.0	24.5	25.5	9.50	1451	-17.2
41	Pineda, Liander Cletherow	1455	PHI	+55B	=36N	−19B	−21N	+57B	=29N	−31B	3.0	23.5	26.0	9.25	1284	-23.2
42	Villaflores, Mary Nicole	1504	PHI	+37N	−2B	−35N	+57B	=34B	−24N	=44B	3.0	23.0	25.5	9.25	889	-10.4
43	Inoveno, Cee Jay	1409	PHI	+63B	−32N	+45B	+40N	−6B	−22N	−26B	3.0	22.5	24.5	8.00	1414	+0.8
44	Sayre, Jhonalyn	0	PHI	−21N	+70B	=46N	+30B	−17B	−33N	=42N	3.0	22.5	22.5	7.00	1398	0.0
45	Villaflores, Frachette Alodia	0	PHI	+28N	−15B	−43N	+?B	+46N	−9B	−50B	3.0	22.5	22.5	7.00	1440	0.0
46	Abada, Al Godwin	1510	PHI	+67B	−1N	=44B	−24N	−45B	+60N	=48B	3.0	21.5	22.5	6.00	915	-9.6
47	Reyes, Levon Ysrael	1552	PHI	+54N	F	−3B	−39B	+61N	−8B	+53N	3.0	21.5	21.5	8.00	887	-12.8
48	Locsin, Mark Sraeven	0	PHI	−17B	=58N	+56B	−25N	−29B	+57N	=46N	3.0	21.0	23.5	8.25	1280	0.0
49	FIDE 521080224	0	—	−18N	−37B	+59N	+64B	−23B	+62N	−25B	3.0	20.5	21.5	5.50	774	0.0
50	Gamboa, Mhark Czian	0	PHI	+?N	−4B	+?N	−11B	F	−28B	+45N	3.0	20.5	20.5	3.00	767	0.0
51	Lindo, Annaquin	0	PHI	−4N	+69B	−20N	+68B	−9N	−36N	+62B	3.0	20.5	20.5	2.00	742	0.0
52	FIDE 521007578	0	—	−13N	+59B	−23N	−26B	+68N	+64B	−30N	3.0	20.0	20.0	3.50	745	0.0
53	Ibarra, Psalm Mariyah	0	PHI	−12N	−57B	+66N	+54B	−28N	+59B	−47B	3.0	19.5	20.5	6.50	791	0.0
54	Deposoy, Shaun Gabriel	0	PHI	−47B	−24N	+63B	−53N	+69B	−38N	+?N	3.0	15.5	15.5	2.00	714	0.0
55	FIDE 521080208	0	—	−41N	+65B	−39N	+58B	F	F	+61N	3.0	14.5	14.5	5.50	655	0.0
56	Verdida, Michael Azariah	0	PHI	−5N	−60B	−48N	+66B	−59N	+69B	+?N	3.0	13.5	13.5	1.00	947	0.0
57	Ventolero, Ashley James	0	PHI	−25B	+53N	=38B	−42N	−41N	−48B	+68N	2.5	19.5	19.5	4.75	1173	0.0
58	FIDE 521049076	0	—	−7N	=48B	−30N	−55N	+?B	+65B	−34N	2.5	19.5	19.5	2.50	679	0.0
59	FIDE 521080151	0	—	−10B	−52N	−49B	+67N	+56B	−53N	=60B	2.5	19.0	20.0	5.00	698	0.0
60	FIDE 521010129	0	—	−22B	+56N	−10B	=29N	−30N	−46B	=59N	2.0	23.0	25.5	6.25	719	0.0
61	Aladino, Jhon Patrick	0	PHI	−3B	+66N	−6B	+62N	−47B	−31N	−55B	2.0	22.5	23.5	3.00	829	0.0
62	FIDE 521046441	0	—	−23N	−27B	+69N	−61B	+?N	−49B	−51N	2.0	16.0	16.0	0.00	738	0.0
63	Pineda, Blaine Lawrence	0	PHI	−43N	−35B	−54N	+65B	−64N	−67B	+69N	2.0	12.5	12.5	1.00	609	0.0
64	Zerna, Shekienna Dawn	0	PHI	−11N	−28B	F	−49N	+63B	−52N	−40B	1.0	20.0	20.0	2.00	777	0.0
65	FIDE 521080216	0	—	−36B	−55N	−26B	−63N	+67B	−58N	−66B	1.0	16.0	17.0	1.00	787	0.0
66	FIDE 521063150	0	—	−20N	−61B	−53B	−56N	F	−?B	+65N	1.0	13.5	13.5	1.00	703	0.0
67	Barinan, Cyron Jeth	0	PHI	−46N	−39B	−?N	−59B	−65N	+63N	F	1.0	11.5	11.5	2.00	710	0.0
68	FIDE 521080194	0	—	F	−11B	−27N	−51N	−52B	−?N	−57B	0.0	17.5	17.5	0.00	749	0.0
69	FIDE 521070911	0	—	−33B	−51N	−62B	F	−54N	−56N	−63B	0.0	16.5	16.5	0.00	636	0.0
70	FIDE 521080186	0	—	−38B	−44N	F	F	F	F	F	0.0	7.5	7.5	0.00	675	0.0

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Flores, John PaulPHI
+86.8
4.5 pts · #3
2Amores, AmirPHI
+81.6
5.0 pts · #6
3Pelione, ChristianPHI
+73.6
6.5 pts · #1

Top rating losers

1Partosa, MarkleyPHI
-52.8
4.5 pts · #12
2Paril, Shawn AugustinePHI
-42.8
4.5 pts · #34
3Sapuan, Arleah CassandraPHI
-34.0
4.5 pts · #16

Biggest upsets

R5+214 Elo gap
Bernil, Faith Jove1583 beat Partosa, Markley1797
R4+206 Elo gap
Inoveno, Cee Jay1409 beat Ubag, John Gabriel1615
R3+188 Elo gap
Batadlan, Michaell Jay1609 beat Partosa, Markley1797