IT will be a significant challenge for the young chess players from Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro in the Asenso Ozamiz Open Chess Tournament 2025, which is scheduled to take place on July 12-13 at the City Gymnasium of Ozamiz.
The LGU-backed MisOr-CDO woodpushers used to dominate the age group levels of the Governor Henry Oaminal-sponsored tourney's first two editions until the arrival last year of one-time World blitz champion and now Fide Master Christian Gian Karlo Arca from Panabo City and Mar Aviel Carredo from Dasmariñas City.
Both Arca and Carredo went home P60,000 richer after ruling the 17-under high school and 13-under elementary rivalries in November 2024.
International Master Michael Concio Jr. from Los Baños, Laguna, outwitted Uzbekistan-American Grandmaster Timur Gareyev in their rapid tiebreaking match to pocket the Open division's P100,000 top purse after Governor Oaminal decided to double the cash prizes in all categories.
“We expect a much tougher competition every year because of the governor’s penchant to double the cash prizes. The presence of Asia's first Grandmaster and Hall of Famer Eugene Torre and the participation of the leading Filipino GMs today, such as the youthful Daniel Quizon and the veteran pair of Darwin Laylo and Rogelio Antonio Jr, also made the Ozamiz event attractive to foreign chess masters,” said organizer Arena Grandmaster Rey Urbiztondo.
With FM Arca already ripe in the peaking to campaign in the Open division, Cagayan de Oro's Sebastian Marbas and the MisOr troika of National Master Keith Adriane Ilar, Quarl Maverick Vera Cruz, and Janin Dhrey Querequere ― who all made a mark in Ozamiz chess as previous champions ― will be among the favored bets to vie strongly in the age group categories.
“Dinhi masulayan si Arca sa Open division kay iya g’yong ma engkwentro ug matilawan ang cream of the crop of Philippine chess labi na sa mga beterano,” remarked computer pairing chess expert and newly-minted Arena International Master Arian Belly Calido.
Sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, the biggest post-summer chess spectacle in Mindanao, which also invited NCFP executive director GM Jayson Gonzales to join Torre in the ceremonial moves alongside Gov. Henry Oaminal, Mayor Sam Fuentes, and Congressmen Indy and Ando Oaminal, is part of the 77th Charter Anniversary of Ozamiz City and The Feast of Nuestra Señora. Dela Concepcion y Del Triunfo De Migpangi celebrations.
