FOREIGN visitor Avasbek Ishbaev will test the mettle of Cagayan de Oro bet Johnnel Balquin as exciting third-round matches on the top boards unfolds this morning in the world-rated chess tourney at the Limketkai Mall here.
The fast-moving Ishbaev, who is an online Arena Grandmaster from Uzbekistan, will play white in his much-anticipated tussle with the decorated Mindanao super non-master Balquin on board one.
“It’s a very exciting match-up. Let’s see how the fast-gunning Ishbaev will fare against the tactical genius Balquin,” said local player Arian Belly Calido, the first one to fall against Balquin’s tactical prowess in a winning position.
On board 2, the country’s so-called chess machine David Elorta from Manila will be heavily challenged by the 13-year-old wizard Christian Gian Karlo Arca from Panabo, Davao del Norte who collected four gold medals in the recent Asean Age-Group chessfest in Bangkok, Thailand.
At least 16 players in the 82-man field have perfect scores entering Round 3 including newly-crowned 1st Lumbia Open Rapid champion Ellan Asuela of Bacolod City, Philippine Army reliables Antonio Chavez Jr and Alfredo Rapanot of Cagayan de Oro, the visiting Rommel Ganzon, Sherwin Tiu, Ashlanie Pandi, Anatolio Penados, and Cipriano Magalso and Oro compatriots Basilio Panda Jr, Keith Adriane Ilar, Khent Lawrence Cañas, and Naphtali Wabe.
The Mr. & Mrs. Leo G. Wabe Sr Individual Standard Open and Team Tatluhan Blitz, sanctioned by the world governing chess body ― Fédération Internationale des Échecs (Fide) ― offers around P200,000 in total cash prizes plus trophies and medals.
It is slated until Sunday with the five-minute blitz Team Tatluhan capping the prestigious world-rated competition.
“It’s not only the competing players who got excited with this Fide-rated event in Cagayan de Oro but most especially our chess arbiter friend from Davao,” said Lorenzo ‘Jun’ Cuizon, referring to fellow FNA Joseph Gener Palero who needed just to finish officiating the Wabe Memorial Cup to become a full-pledged Fide arbiter.
“Last nako ni nga serbisyo para sa Fide promotion. I’m so excited and very thankful to the Wabe organizers nga ila kong giapil pag-arbiter sa ilang Fide event,” the ageless Palero told Gold Star Daily.
