Massive 7-in-1 chess festival marks Misamis Occidental’s 94th founding anniversary

MANILA, Philippines – The Province of Misamis Occidental will be celebrating its 94th provincial anniversary in November with a big three-day chess festival. 

The 1st Governor Henry S. Oaminal National Chess Team Festival will be held from November 10-12 at the City Auditorium in Ozamiz City with a total of seven — yes, seven — events in one.

The first event will be a simultaneous exhibition match between Asia’s first ever Grandmaster Eugene Torre and IM Roderick Nava, who will also conduct training sessions and lectures for the city’s youth. 

The second tournament will be rapid and blitz matches across four different categories with total cash prizes of P500,000.

The third tournament ties in with the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) and the Games and Amusements Board’s Rapid Chess Champions League.

There will be a minimum of eight legs held all over the country, with the winner of each leg receiving a slot in the Rapid Chess Champions League Finals, which will be held in Metro Manila at a date to be announced. 

Over P170,000 worth of cash prizes are at stake for the winners, with their transportation and board and lodging shouldered by PCAP. 

The fourth event of this chess festival is a Rapid Chess Age Group Tournament for Under-9, Under-11 and Under-13.

A Visayan selection will take on their Mindanaoan counterparts in a 15-board match for the fifth event.

The sixth event is an executives Open Tournament.

Last but not the least, the big event that will be one to watch is the Armageddon Round Robin Championship Battle of Champions, which includes Grandmasters Darwin Laylo and Joey Antonio and International Masters Joel Pimentel; Ronald Bancod, Rolando Nolte, Richelleu Salcedo and Kim Steven Yap; and Fide masters AJ Literatus, Alekhine Nouri, Ellan Asuela and Nelson Villanueva; and Arena GM Rey Urbiztondo.

There will be tournament ratings with a player’s rating based on their local standard, local rapid, local blitz, FIDE standard, Fide Rapid and Fide Blitz. There will be a rating floor of 1800 and a rating ceiling of 2400.

All the events are open to all local units of the Philippines and will be under the supervision of DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos. 

Players may join a team of three with an average rating of 2100 or play solo and win individual prizes.

For details of participation, contact AGM Rey Urbiztondo at 09177220374, Genevieve Arellano at 09156570001, Johnny Carzano at 09816248290 or Dione Patrick Minoza at 09620416599.