PCAP to launch Tournament of Champions

MANILA, Philippines – Fresh off its inter-collegiate and inter-commercial pocket tournaments, the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines is looking to launch its “Tournament of Champions” in the very near future.

PCAP is planning to work with third-party chess tournament organizers, with the winners of all these legs participating in a grand final in Manila.

PCAP chairman Mike Chua said that PCAP is looking at eight to 12 legs or local tournaments from all over the country to participate.

“Three (competitions) have already committed to join,” Chua told this writer. 

The Games and Amusements Board is sanctioning the following: tournaments that encompass the various legs as well as the championship round, winners of the tournaments, and chief arbiter of the tournaments.

There is no definite date for this planned tournament.

However, the second conference of this 2023 season of PCAP — the Wesley So Cup — is scheduled to begin Saturday, September 23.

The 20 participating teams will field an import in this competition. The Pasig King Pirates are the defending champions. Previous winners include the Iloilo Kisela Knights and the San Juan Predators.

The tournament is expected to finish by early December 2023.