Budapest, Hungary—Daniel Quizon, a young Filipino chess prodigy, achieved the title of grandmaster after a decisive victory over GM Igor Efimov at the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad, held at the BOK Sports Hall on Saturday.

According to the Philippines News Agency, the 20-year-old from Dasmariñas, Cavite, emerged victorious after 37 moves in a King's Indian Defense against the 64-year-old Efimov, thereby earning the necessary Elo points to reach the 2500 ranking threshold for grandmaster status. An elated Quizon shared his happiness and revealed he will receive a PHP1 million incentive from Dasmariñas Mayor Jenny Barzaga for his achievement.

In addition to Quizon's success, his teammates also posted victories to secure a 4-0 win for the Philippines over Monaco. GM Julio Catalino Sadorra defeated Amir Bagheri on board one, IM Paulo Bersamina overcame Damir Levacic on board three, and IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia triumphed over Patrick Van Hoolandt on board four. This collective effort placed the 51st-seeded Philippine men's team in 13th place, tied with 25 other teams, each having six points.

The Philippine teams' strong performance extended into the women's division, where they also recorded a 4-0 victory over El Salvador. Top board player Shania Mae Mendoza from Santa Rosa, Laguna, won her match against Andrea Ortez after 60 moves of the Sicilian Defense. Mendoza expressed surprise and satisfaction with her and her teammates' outcomes, stating she simply did her best.

The women's victories included WGM Janelle Mae Frayna defeating Angie Garcia, Jan Jodilyn Fronda besting Marielos Vasquez, and Bernadette Galas winning against Yamileth Barahona Dalila. Like their male counterparts, the women's team is currently ranked 13th and is set to face Italy in their next match.