Quizon, Concio move on to World Cup

MANILA, Philippines — Teenage International Masters Daniel Quizon and Michael Concio Jr. finished first and second, respectively, in the Asian Zonal 3.3 Chess Championships to claim slots to the World Cup 2021 slated in August in Minsk, Belarus.

Quizon, 16, split the point with Indonesian Grandmaster Susanto Megaranto while Concio, 15, scraped his way in a marathon 106-move win over GM Novendra Priasmoro also of Indonesia to become the first Filipino World Cup qualifiers since GM Inno Sadorra made it four years ago in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Quizon, the country’s blitz king, finished first as he went undefeated with five wins and four draws while Concio ended up solo second with 6.5 points on five triumphs and three draws against a single setback.

Quizon also became the first Filipino zonal titlist since GM Darwin Laylo achieved the feat 12 years ago in Vietnam. Reigning Fischer Random king and two-time United States champion Wesley So, now an American citizen, finished second to Laylo in that event.

Quizon and Concio received a combined $3,750 or P187,000 plus another P75,000 and a new laptop each from patron and Dasmariñas, Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr.