World-class chess players off to Aklan tourney

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan - Twenty five chess teams have already confirmed their participation in the 2011 National Inter-Province Chess Team Championship from April 1 to 5 at the Gov. Corazon L. Cabagbot Tourism and Training Center.

The five-day tourney is a joint project of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP), the governing body of chess in the country, and the provincial government of Aklan under the leadership of Governor Carlito Marquez.

Provincial Sports Coordinator Wilfredo Neri said three Filipino woodpushers - Grandmasters Wesley So (ELO 2667), Mark Paragua (ELO 2547) and John Paul Gomez (2538) will banner their respective chess teams in the Aklan tournament.

Three international players - 12-time RP Open champion GM Rogelio "Joey" Antonio (2589), Asia's first GM Eugene Torre and two-time GM Jayson Gonzales, however, begged off from the nine-round Swiss system competition due to prior commitments.

The 17-year old So, the highest rated Filipino chess player, will represent Tagaytay City chess team while Gomez will lead the Quezon City-based Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA)-A. Paragua will carry the fight for Cagayan de Oro/Misamis Oriental team.

NFCP chairman/president Prospero "Butch" Pichay, Jr., who is expected to personally attend the opening ceremony on April 1, said the champion team will pocket the P100,000 prize, runner-up P70,000, and third placer P50,000.

The fourth placer will receive P30,000 while fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth placers will receive P20,000, P10,000, P9,000 and P8,000 respectively. The ninth placer will get P7,000 and the 10th placer the P6,000 cash prize.