Lomibao-Beltran kiddies, women’s chess unwraps

MANILA, Philippines — The keenly awaited first Woman Fide Master Sheerie Joy Lomibao-Beltran Women’s Open chess championship and kiddies 14 years old and below Inter-School Fide rating tournament gets underway today at the Open Kitchen food hall (in front of Unilab), Rockwell Business Center, Sheridan, Greenfields District in Mandaluyong City.

Registration starts at 8 a.m. followed by the opening ceremony at 10 a.m.

Lomibao-Beltran will make the ceremonial moves with 13-time Philippine Open champion Grandmaster Rogelio “Joey” Antonio Jr. alongside Grandmaster Darwin Laylo, China Aurelio and Mimi Casas of Open Kitchen during the simple opening ceremony.

Hosted by China Aurelio and Mimi Casas of Open Kitchen in close cooperation with Dr. Alfred Paez, Joel Pineda, Ryan Lopez Sauz, Byron Gabrentina Villar, International billiards/snooker champion Barangay Malamig chairman Marlon Manalo and kagawad Cynthia Caluya, the event offers a top purse of P10,000 and a trophy plus brand new Michael Kors watch to the Women’s Open division chess champion, and P5,000 plus digital chess clock and a tablet for the kiddies 14 years old and below Inter School champion.

A German Knight chess set and five brand new shoes will be raffled off in the one-day rapid chess tourney.

For more details, call or text tournament manager Genghis Imperial at 0926-251-4205.

Among the early entries are WIM Catherine Perena-Secopito, WIM Jan Jodilyn Fronda, WIM Bernadette Galas, WFM Cherry Ann Mejia, WFM Samantha Glo Revita, WNM Carmelita Abanes, WNM Francois Marie Magpily, Rida Jane Young, and Enrica Villa.