Houston: Filipino chess player Brandon Kier Sustento emerged victorious at the Susan Polgar Charity Blitz Chess Tournament held at the Houston BMW office in Texas. The event took place on Sunday, where the young chess enthusiast demonstrated his strategic prowess.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Grade 10 student from Harmony School of Innovation achieved a perfect score of 5.0 points in the competition. Sustento, who is 15 years old and originally from Bacoor, Cavite, expressed his satisfaction with the outcome of the match, stating, "It was an intense match. I am happy to win the 5-minute blitz competition." His family relocated to Houston in 2015.
Sustento's chess journey has been notable, having earned the title of US Candidate Master in 2021. Earlier this year, he secured the second position at the South Texas FIDE Open Standard chess tournament, finishing behind International Master Anish Vivekananthan on February 27.
Looking ahead, Sustento is set to participate in the Houston FIDE Championship, which is scheduled from May 1 to 3. He receives guidance from FM Noel Dela Cruz and is the son of FIDE Instructor Byjorn Sustento, the founder of the Houston Chess School.
