THE Provincial Capitol of Misamis Oriental, through the full support of Governor Peter M. Unabia, will mean serious business in the cash-rich Ozamiz Chess Festival set to open on Friday, November 10 at the City Auditorium in Ozamiz City.
Seeking a prominent seat in all fronts of battle, Misamis Oriental will field three teams in the premier tatluhan (three boards) team competition to be spearheaded by International Master Richelieu Salcedo III and two of the country’s top non masters in former Palarong Pambansa champion Lennon Hart Salgados and Johnnel Balquin, who just finished runner-up behind IM Joel Pimentel in the recently-held finale of the nationwide Rising Chess Unlimited hosted by Cagayan de Oro City at the Limketkai Mall.
Provincial Sports Development Office (PSDO) acting head Reynand Fuentes said the Capitol Sports under the lookout of PSDO overseer Chrysostom ‘Tommy’ Cailing will also give a fight in the age-group categories of the three-day chessfest with its top Under-15, Under 13, Under 11 and Under nine boys and girls chess athletes all raring to compete.
“We’re probably the biggest delegation to arrive in Ozamiz at 30 persons. And that's because we believe our local chess program will continue to bring pride and honors to the province of Misamis Oriental as we did in the previous National Age-Group, Batang Pinoy and other major chess events in the country,” Fuentes said.
Arena Grandmaster Rey Urbiztondo, board director of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) and Asenso Misamis Occidental Chess Association (Amofca) president, said that from 7-in-1, the P1-million Ozamiz Chess Festival has blossomed into an 8-in-1 and even a 9-in-1 pre-Christmas chess spectacle for three-straight days.
Aside from serving as automatic qualifier for the coming Battle of Champions of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines, Urbiztondo said the Best of Mindanao and Visayas team showdown and the other friendly match over 20 boards between Northern Mindanao and the Rest of Mindanao will also be an added attraction.
Already, the grizzled Grandmasters Eugene Torre, Rogelio Antonio Jr and Darwin Laylo will be in the center of the spotlight in the 1st Governor Henry S. Oaminal Ozamiz Chess Festival, featuring the rapid and blitz’s team and individual events, the Armaggedon Battle of Philippine champions, the masters’ simultaneous games against the finest woodpushers in Mindanao while holding lectures cum chess clinic for the children, among others.
