'I dedicated my victory to my beloved family'

-Iloilo's Gallon misses Empire State Chess championship by
half point.

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- Another Filipino chess player nearly wrapped up the 35th Empire City Open Under 2100 title missing it by the skin of the teeth in Madison Square Garden here on December 27-29, 2016.

Gallon's treasures--daughters Althea, 3; Kazzandra, 10; and wife Geraldine, 35.

Anthony Gallon, 37, former varsity player of University of San Agustin in Iloilo City, scored five points in a six-round tournament organized by the Continental Chess Association. 
Gallon (2025), a Bible school scholar, registered four wins and two draws. He drew his last match against Ethan Gu, who pocketed the title with 5.5 points.
"I dedicated my second place finish to my beloved family; my wife, Geraldine, and two daughters, Kazzandra and Althea," said Gallon, who also credited FIDE Master Rico Salimbagat "for his moral support."

Anthony Gallon

"The difficulties I encountered in my matches and the sacrifices that I went through were nothing because my family was always on my mind. They kept my hopes alive and they are truly my inspiration," added Gallon, a chef, who places God "at the center of my life."
Gallon's victims were Eric Wu, Kenia Jose Polanco, Aayush Ajith, and Alex Hallenbeck.

DRAW

Ryan Blackwood was the other player who drew with the Filipino woodpusher, who stayed in Cabuyao, Laguna before flying to New York three years ago.
There were 71 entries in Gallon's category participated by some of the empire's highly-regarded chess titans led by Lev Zilbermintz, Bryan Lawson, Nicholas Cardenas, Joseph Bihlmeyer, Serge Adelson, Harold Scott, George P. Berg, and Chris Brooks.

The Author, Gallon, Cesar Apalla

Another Filipino, David Asuncion Apelo, winner of the 48th Annual Atlantic Open Under 2100 crown in Arlington, Virgina, finished third behind Gu and Gallon with 4.5 points.
Apelo, 58, logged four wins, one loss (against David Sullivan in round one), and one draw (against David Zong in round five).
Gallon and several other Filipino chessers will target the 45th Annual World Open in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 29-July 4, 2017.