Pacquiao hosts rich random chessfest in GenSan

MANILA, Philippines – The MP Chess Players Organization, in coordination with the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, is holding the second Manny Pacquiao Random Chess Tournament Dec. 14-16 at the SM Mall in General Santos City.

The nine-round Swiss System, three-day tournament offers P1.5 million in cash put up by eight-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.

Tournament organizer Eugene Torre, Asia’s first grandmaster, said the event, to be played in team and individual format, is open to NCFP members.

“Participating teams must have four regular players and one alternate,” Torre said during Thursday’s SCOOP on Air episode of the weekly program Tropang Bistag aired over radio station DZEC.

“To level the playing field and make matches more interesting and exciting, a team can only field one GM and one international master. A team must average no more than 2100 ELO rating based on the four higher-rated players,” Torre said.

“In an Open format, the tendency of participants is to get higher rated players to gain undue advantage and this reduces the excitement,” Torre said.

“The tournament aims to discover new chess talents and develop them into world-beaters, especially in team competition,” he added.   

The team champion wins P400,000 and the individual titlist P50,000. Team runner-up gets P220,000 and third placer P130,000. Cash pot is spread up to the 50th finishers.

Registration fee per team is P2,000 and P200 for individual. Deadline of submission of entries is Dec. 7.

Details: Eugene Torre at [email protected] or National Master Roel Abelgas at [email protected]