Joel Banawa (born 16 December 1989) is a professional Chess player and Chess Coach from the USA (United State of America). He holds the title of International Master and is one of the top players in the nation ranking in the top 100 of the US Chess Federation Rating list. He has won multiple national championships in both the Philippines (Where he grew up) and the United States. He also has won two state championship titles and has won many local tournaments in both Southern California and Arizona. He was a member of the All-American Chess Team multiple times and represented the United States of America in 2006 World Youth Championship under-18 years old.

Joel is also a very successful coach producing multiple National Master level students, National Champions, and State Champions. He is the owner of Rising Phoenix Chess Academy

Notable Playing Career Achievements:

- 1st Batang Pinoy under-10 National Champion (Bacolod, Philippines) - Palarong Pambansa Elementary gold-medalist and national Champion with FM Nelson Mariano III (Bicole, Philippines) - 2004 CEA Grand Nationals k-9 Champion ( Chandler, AZ) - 2005 Western State States k 9-12 Champion (San Diego, CA) - 2005 Super Nationals III k9 Co-champion (first on tie-breaks) - 2005 Orange County Open Co-champion - 106th Annual US Open- 2005 tied for 7th place out of 455 - 41st Annual American Open top U2400 and tied for 8th place - San Diego County Championship 2006 Champion - 28th Annual Southern California Open tied for 2nd place - 42nd Annual American Open tied for 7th place top U2400 - 2007 Lina Grumette Memorial Day Classic tied for 2nd place - US World Youth Representative 2006 - 2008 Los Angeles Open Tied for first - 44th Annual American Open tied for 6th place - 49th Annual Pacific Southwest Open Tied for 2nd place - California g/30 Championship 2009 Tied for first - 2009 Bakersfield Fall Classic tied for first - 2010 Southern Califonia State Championship Co-champion - 20th Chess Palace Anniversary Champion - 1st Metropolitan Fide Invitational tied for 3rd place - 3rd Metropolitan Chess Fide Invitational tied for 2nd place (First IM-norm) - 4th Metropolitan Chess Fide invitational first place (2nd IM norm) - 2011 CalChess State (Northern California State championship) tied for 2nd place - 6th Metropolitan Chess Invitational tied for 2nd place (3rd IM norm) - 7th Metropolitan Chess Fide Invitational Tied for 3rd place - Landon Brownell Memorial 2011 Tied for first place - ACE Chess Arizona State Championship Co-champion - 2013 Pacific Southwest open tied for 3rd place - 2014 National Open tied for 2nd place - Bay Area Chess Phoenix Championship 2014 Tied for first place - 3rd Annual Phoenix Open Co-champion - 4th Annual Phoenix Open 2nd place - 2016 Tucson Open tied for first place - 2017 St. Louis Winter Invitational IM Norm section Co-champion (Getting the International Master title) - 2017 St. Louis Norm Congress IM Norm section tied for 2nd place


Notable Achievements as a Chess Coach:

- Produced National Masters in the US: Notably the most recent ones are NM Prateek Pinisetti, NM Dave Mohan, NM Alec Andersen, NM Darian Nguyen, and more - Produced National Champions: Notably: Chang Xu winner of Chesskid under 14 girls nationals 2017 - Produced State Champions in Arizona Annually - Taught at the strongest chess Camps in the United States and worked with World Class Grandmasters such as Super GM Michael Adams

References:

1. Fide Profile : [1] 2. Banawa and Atoufi Achieve IM Norms: [2] 3. Banawa is State Champion: [3] 4. Justus Williams earns 3rd IM norm!: [4] 5. UTD Gives Chess Scholarship to Students From California, Florida and Georgia: [5] 6. AIA Chess Basis Chandler 2017 State Champion: [6] 7. Southwest Pacific Open:[7] 8. 2005 Super Nationals k9: [8] 9. 28th Annual Southern California Open:[9] 10. 2010 Southern California Champhionship: [10] 11. 4th Metropolitan Chess Fide Invitational: [11] 12. Landon Brownell Memorial: [12] 13. ACE Arizona 2012 State Championship: [13] 14. 2017 Saint Louis Winter Invitational: [14]