Manila: Filipino National Master Almario Marlon Bernardino Jr. displayed his brilliant form to secure the gold medal in the 3rd Laos International Chess Open at the Parkson Naga Mall in Vientiane City on Friday. Bernardino, the top player of Rizal Technological University (RTU) in the '90s, finished the FIDE Standard event with five wins and four draws for a total of seven points. "First of all, thanks to the Almighty, I dedicate my victory to my country! I would like to express my gratitude to my coach, 1996 RP junior champion FM Robert Suelo Jr. and his wife Mers, and to ALC Group of Companies chairman and CEO D. Edgard Cabangon for their full support in my international chess campaign," Bernardino said on Saturday. He will return to Manila on Sept. 11. Bernardino, an online Arena Grandmaster and US Chess Master, beat Chinese Feng Wenzhe, local Vilaphen Phaktong, Filipino Franchesca Largo, and Vietnamese Bui Ngoc Phuong Nghi in the first four rounds. He settled for a draw with countrymen Mark Gabriel U sman and Jemaica Yap Mendoza, Myanmar's Win Tun Htwe and Vietnam's Nguyen Le Minh Uyen, then conquered Arena FIDE Master Seo Juwon of South Korea in the last round. Bernardino, a seasoned sportswriter and radio commentator, topped the 2nd edition of the IIEE-Bayanihan-Greenfield District Blitz tournament on Aug. 9. He became a National Master after placing seventh at the SSS Asian Zonal elimination round in 1998 and, in the same year, earned a US Chess Master title at the National Chess Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 2005, Bernardino dominated the US Open Rapid Chess Championship in Arlington, Virginia. He is scheduled to compete in the Singapore International Open from Nov. 29 to Dec. 5 and the 16th Penang Heritage City International Open in Malaysia on Dec. 23-27. Source: Philippines News agency