GM Balinas chess team opens doors in Ozamis Chess set for Nov.10
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 07 Nov 2023
MANILA---The GM Rosendo Carreon Balinas Jr. Chess Team to play in the 1st Governor Henry S. Oaminal 8-in-1 Chess Festival set on Nov. 10-12 at the Ozamis City Auditorium in Misamis Occidental.
The original composition of the team are GM Rogelio "Joey" Antonio Jr. (Board 1), Drigo "Ringo" Acero Teves (Board 2) and Candidate Master–Elect Michael Jan Stephen “Bonbon” Inigo (Board 3).
The 7th placer in the MPCL Tuna Festival last year remembered who lost second place to LGU Iligan in the last round hoping for luck this time.
“What attracts me the most in chess today is meeting legends like Eugene Torre, Joey Antonio, Rico Mascarinas, and Judge Rosendo Bandal. I love chess very much and I hope this time I’ll give a good fight whatever it takes,” said veteran campaigner Teves who got only two draws in 7 rounds to Rodney Opada and Rowell Roque at the MPCL Tuna Festival last year held in General Santos City.
The festival is hosted by Gov. Oaminal and organized by National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) Director and Asenso Misamis Occidental Chess Association (AMOFCA) president Rey Cris Urbiztondo as part of the 94th Provincial Anniversary celebrations.
"It's my pleasure to extend a cheerful welcome to you all (participants)! Your presence makes us very happy," said Urbiztondo, an online Arena Grandmaster.
Also expected to see action are the trademark group of AE Bob, Mind Movers, Pacman Chess Association, Phil Army (Taguig), Buenaville, Libay Corp, Negros Team, Maritima Chess Club, Koronadal Ebon Restaurant, Minglanilla Cebu LGU, Ligon All Stars, Iligan, Dipolog, Misamis Oriental team, Zamboanga City and some from Southern Mindanao.
The tournament starts with a motorcade around the city on the morning of Friday, November 10, 2023 followed by a courtesy call to City Mayor Atty. Henry F. Oaminal Jr, who will be playing in the simul exhibition in the afternoon no less than Hall of Famer Eugene Torre and other grandmasters take the spotlight.
Torre, Asia’s first Grandmaster, will be featured in the first of the eight events in the three-day chess fest as he plays simultaneous exhibition matches with 13-time PH Open champion Grandmaster Joey Antonio and other superstars on the opening day.
The country’s top and aspiring players will then take the center stage in the individual, team rapid and blitz tournaments where a total pot of ₱500,000 will be up for grabs in four categories.
The rapid tournament, which uses a 9-round Swiss system, also a spot one of 8 legs to the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) national championship for the winner, who will also bag ₱30,000 top prize all expenses paid to the travel going Manila for the finals. Earlier, vying for one of the legs are General Santos City and Davao.
Aside from the simul, individual and team tournaments, age group, executive and armageddon round-robin events are also lined up for invited chess masters in the three-day tournament.
There will also be chess lectures from grandmasters and superstars for masters and students of the sport.-Marlon Bernardino-
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