PH chess players gear up for Asian Schools tourney

Gearing up for Asian Schools Chess Championships and Eastern Asia Youth this year, the National Chess Federation of the Philippines will embark on a series of regional tryouts to discover the finest young woodpushers in the country.

The search for the most Filipino young chess wizard dubbed as the 2019 National Youth and Schools Chess Championships will kick off with the Mindanao leg on March 16 to 18 at the Gaisano Grand Citi Gate, Buhangin in Davao City, tournament director International Arbiter (IA) James Infiesto and Fide National Arbiter (FNA) Joseph Gener “Jojo” Palero revealed.

A file photo shows Mr. Ernie Abanco of Abanco Realty (left) shakes hand with his young opponent,  before making the ceremonial moves to kick off the Negros Kiddies Chess Championship last year held in Bacolod City.
A file photo shows Mr. Ernie Abanco of Abanco Realty (left) shakes hand with his young opponent, before making the ceremonial moves to kick off the Negros Kiddies Chess Championship last year held in Bacolod City.

The 60 minutes plus 30 seconds increment time control format is a qualifying event for the Asian Schools Chess Championships 2019 to be held on June 19 to 29 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Bacolod City known to be the City of Smiles will then host the Visayas leg on March 29 to 31 at the 4th Floor Metro Lobby, Ayala Malls Capitol Central backed up by Abanco Realty (Stella / Ernie Abanco), organized by NIPCA and Chess Kapihan.

There shall be 10 categories, namely Under 7, Under 9, Under 11, Under 13 and Under 15 with separate events for Boys and Girls. The champions in each category in the National Finals will represent the country to the Eastern Asia Youth Championships to be held in Bangkok, Thailand on August 1 to 10 according to tournament director International Arbiter (IA) Wilfredo Neri and Chief Arbiter Jose Dante Albao.

The fourth leg of the 2019 National Executive Chess Championship-Bacolod leg gets underway on March 31 at the same venue according to newly-installed Philippine Executive Chess Association (PECA) president Dr. Jenny Mayor.