First Philippine pro chess league gets green light 

MANILA, Philippines – The Professional Chess Association of the Philippines will own the distinction as the country’s first pro chess league.

Games and Amusements Board chairman Abraham Mitra yesterday said they have approved PCAP’s request for pro status and the group that formed it is going to making an official announcement of its programs in an online presser at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

“We are proud at GAB that the Philippines will have its first pro chess league,” said Mitra. “PCAP is to chess what PBA/NBA is to basketball.

Mitra said the PCAP is expected to draw the country’s top masters, ladies, and seniors, who will all be under contract with minimum and maximum salaries and salary caps.

Trading of players, just like in basketball, will also be allowed.

“We want to place chess players in comparable stature as other pro athletes,” said Mitra.

The PCAP is hoping to contribute to the country’s hope of producing more world caliber players like Eugene Torre, Asia’s first Grandmaster, Wesley So, a Philippine-born chesser who once ranked second in the world, and Mark Paragua, the first Filipino to breach the 2600 mark and reach “super GM” status.