IM Rodolfo Tan Cardoso (1937-2013)
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 23 Aug 2013
Chess International Master Rodolfo ?Rudy? Tan Cardoso, one of the pioneers in the growth of the sport in the county and in Asia, passed away due to a heart attack Wednesday at the Philippine Heart Center.
Cardoso, the first Filipino and Asian to earn an IM title who was to turn 76 on Christmas Day this December, suffered a heart attack last Tuesday and was immediately brought to the hospital where he joined his Creator the following day.
He is survived by his only living brother, Narni.
His remains lie in state and will stay at the Acacia Chapel of the Funeraria Paz inside the Manila Memorial Park in Sucat Road in Paranaque City until tomorrow morning and will be transferred to his hometown in Alaminos, Pangasinan.
Interment will be on Monday at the Tamayo Memorial Park following a Requiem Mass at 9:30 a.m. at the St. Joseph Cathedral in Alaminos.
Cardoso was a member of the first Philippine team that competed in the 1956 Chess Olympiad held in Moscow along with teammates Florencio ?Campo? Campomanes who was to become the International Chess Federation president for three terms, and National Masters Glicerio Badilles and Carlos Benitez.
Cardoso is to be remembered as the only Filipino to have beaten American chess wizard Bobby Fischer. He earned his IM title by becoming the first player to be crowned First Asian Zonal champion held in Manila under the sponsorship of the then Roces Family-owned pre-Martial Law Manila Times.
After his retirement from active competition, Cardoso concentrated on grass-root development program in his personal capacity, identifying and developing young players by way of organizing chess tournaments.
?Rudy?s death is a big loss particularly to the sport of chess,? the Philippines? and Asia?s first Grandmaster Eugene Torre said by way of paying tribute to Cardoso?s contributions to the development of the sport.
?He was a tactician even before the introduction of positional play, reason why I idolized him in my earlier days of playing,? Torre, founder of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, now the recognized national sports association in chess, said.
?Rudy was a gentleman on the chess board. He put the Philippines in the international chess map by becoming the first Filipino and Asian to become an International Master,? lawyer and two-time Olympian Sammy Estimo said of Cardoso.
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