International Master Jan Emmanuel Garcia and National Master Marc Christian Nazario won together as a championship duo at the conclusion of WR Bug House Open Championships 2026 held at MICE Center, Quezon City on Saturday, August 29.
The pair, representing Bubu Chacha Team dominated the competition and claimed the gold medal plus the top prize of P100,000, cementing their status as one of the greatest doubles teams in Bug house history.
They defeated the tandem of John Laurence Donguines and Daniel Baylosis of Benilde Blazes, 2-1, in the finals.
Actually, they started in a wrong foot losing the 1st match. A win in the 2nd and 3rd matches sealed a close 2-1 come from behind victory.
On the road to the finals, they need to beat the pair of Zach Evan Orzame and Marco Piolo Sanido of Rudy Lopez Kidz, 2-0, in the quarters and the tandem of Samson Lim III and Jerich Cajeras of Metaboys, 2-0, in the semis to arrange a titular showdown with Benilde Blazers.
In the preliminaries, Garcia and Nazario bounced back after a back to back sorry loses in the 2nd and 3rd rounds to pull five straight wins to reach the quarterfinals of the 1 day event, sponsored by sportsman Wadim Rosenstein, who is running for FIDE President, and held under the auspices of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines.
"Thank you, Lord. We won the WR Chess Bughouse Open," said Nazario, a resident of Quezon City.
"Those were tough matches," said Garcia, program manager of Ateneo de Manila University chess team, the pride of Santa Rosa, Laguna.
No less than National Chess Federation of the Philippines Chairman/President Cong. Prospero Pichay Jr. and NCFP Secretary General and Corporate Secretary GM Jayson Gonzales led the closing rites.
Earlier, GM Gonzales, NCFP Vice President for Visayas Cong. Neri Javier Colmenares and Quezon City Development Office Head Mr. Jun Gayoso spearheaded the opening ceremony while Vice Mayor Gian Sotto played bug house by teaming up IM Jose Efren Bagamasbad against the tandem of GM Joey Antonio and NM Mar Aviel Carredo during the half time break of the event which attracted 52 teams. -Marlon Bernardino-
In photo: Samson Lim III, Jerich Cajeras of Metaboys, NM Marc Christian Nazario and IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia of Team Bubu Chacha, NCFP Chairman/President Cong. Prospero Pichay Jr., John Laurence Donguines and Daniel Baylosisof Benilde Blazers and NCFP Secretary General and Corporate Secretary GM Jayson Gonzales.
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