Chess experts in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental are confident that the local talents, with the support of city mayor Rolando Uy and provincial governor Juliette Uy, will make their presence felt anew in Ozamiz City.
"Batak sa dula atong mga bata (our chess kids are battle-scarred), they can even upset the veterans or the older chess masters in the country," guaranteed Arena FIDE Master Benoni Wabe, the founding head of the Golden Chess Friends (GCF) that organized regular chess tourneys across Region 10.
Wabe added: "Of course, we expect them to score upset victories in Ozamiz against the older ones."
This, as Ozamiz City celebrates its 78th Charter Day Anniversary, with the 6th Gov. Henry S. Oaminal Open Chess Championships serving as main highlight.
The cash-rich tourney runs on July 11-12 at the Ozamiz City Gymnasium with P500,000 up to one (1) million in total cash prizes awaiting the winners in four categories: the Open Age, high school, elementary and team Tatluhan or three-man board competition.
"Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental chess players are really strong not just in the age group level but even competing in the Open field, and it's quite a surprise for us the method being used in their progress and development," Ozamiz Chess organizer Rey Urbiztondo told Gold Star Daily.
Fifteen-year-old Sebastian Marbas, newly-crowned champion of the Cagayan de Oro City Post-Clinic Chess Tournament on Saturday, July 5, at the City Tourism Hall, will try his luck again in Ozamiz, alongside fellow high schooler Woman National Master Lila Alyssa Seriña and elementary wonder Kyros "Kulotov" Magsalay, among others.
At press time, they were still battling in the day-long city chess tourney at Brgy Bulua's Citi Mall as final rehearsal for the big war ahead in Ozamiz.
El Salvador City native National Master Keith Adriane Ilar, who was a consistent top-three performer in high school rivalry of the Ozamiz chessfest, has yet to confirm his participation.
