'Battle of the Grandmasters' chess tourney gets underway

MANILA, Philippines – The country’s top Grandmasters, a group of young guns eyeing fame and glory, and the two top-notch lady woodpushers spice up the Battle of the Grandmasters chess tournament that was unveiled Wednesday at the Malolos City Auditorium.

GMs John Paul Gomez, Darwin Laylo and Joey Antonio will try to separate the men from the boys as they battle wits with teeners International Master Daniel Quizon (19 years old), IM Michael Concio, Jr. (18) and Mark Jay Bacojo (17) as well national women’s championship top two finishers WIM Marie Antoinette San Diego and WGM Janelle Mae Frayna.

Also seeing action in the nine-round tournament staking a total cash pot of Php322,000, including Php100,000 to the winner courtesy of Malolos City Mayor Christian Natividad, are IMs Paulo Bersamina and Jan Emmanuel Garcia.

The top-seeded Gomez was battling Concio while the second-ranked Laylo was clashing Frayna at press time.

The other opening-round duels of this event backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, National Chess Federation of the Philippines and Philippine Olympic Committee pitted San Diego with Garcia, Bersamina with Antonio, and Quizon with Bacojo.

“Laban lang kami,” said Laylo, who is hoping to add another crown jewel to his title conquests in 2004 and 2006.

Quizon, for his part, is hoping to successfully the defend the title he won in the last staging two years ago in Lapu Lapu, Cebu as well as to earn rating points as he chases the GM title.

For San Diego and Frayna, they hope to become the first female to win the annual event.