In the summer of 1976 three grandmasters traveled to Manila in the Philippines to participate in the Marlboro-Loyola Kings Challenge chess tournament. There they faced off in a double round robin event that included a local chess master from the Philippines. The participants were (in order of ELO): Anatoli Karpov (2695), the world champion from the Soviet Union; Ljubomir Ljubojevic (2620) from Yugoslavia; Walter Shawn Browne (2585) from the United States; and Eugenio Torre (2505) from the Philippines. The combined ratings of the players qualified the tournament as a category XV event. The tournament was surprising and momentous due in large part to the inspired play of the local Philippines master Torre. Not only did he defeat the world champion in the second round, but he went on to finish clear first ahead of Karpov, a feat no one had yet accomplished since he had become world champion. The success of the tournament earned Torre a grandmaster title and a place in history. The final standings and crosstable are as follows:

1 Torre 4½/6 ** 1½ ½1 1½

2 Karpov 3/6 0½ ** 1½ ½½

3 Ljubojevic 2½/6 ½0 0½ ** ½1

4 Browne 2/6 0½ ½½ ½0 **