Mark Paragua is a Filipino chess grandmaster, known for being the youngest Filipino master at the age of nine, and the youngest Filipino international master at the age of 14. He earned the title of Grandmaster in 2005, making him the fifth from the Philippines to do so.
Paragua has achieved considerable success in his chess career. He was the Philippine Chess Champion in 1995 and 1996, and he was the National Junior Champion in 1998. In 1999, he was the Asian Junior Champion. Paragua also won the 2002 World Open, the 2005 Philippine Championships, and the 2006 New York Masters. He competed in the FIDE World Chess Championship in 2004.
Paragua participated in several Chess Olympiads, representing the Philippines. He also helped the Philippines secure bronze and silver medals at the 2000 World Youth U16 Chess Olympiad and the 2002 World Youth U16 Chess Olympiad, respectively.
At his peak, he was rated amongst the world’s top 100 chess players. According to Paragua, his aggressive and unpredictable style of play was greatly influenced by Garry Kasparov.
Off the board, Paragua moved to New York City in 2011. He is married with two daughters, and works as a full-time chess coach. Despite his move, Paragua still competes for the Philippines in international tournaments. He is aiming to become the country’s second 2700-plus rated player, as well as to return to a top 100 world ranking.